Narrative:

Contacted tower 10 mi out; inbound; requesting direct to intersection awemo (7 mi from end of runway) to follow the lda runway 34 approach; tower controller approved told to report awemo; 3-4 aircraft around in various phases in class D airspace. I notified fyv ATC when at awemo; altitude 3500 ft; ATC reported 1 aircraft departing 2 others; including myself; approaching and 1 in the pattern; I was cleared for the visual and informed I'd be #2 for landing. At about 2 mi out ATC cleared me for landing; advised of landing traffic; a cessna turning base and that I was to follow the traffic and would be #2 for landing. I acknowledged and that I had traffic in sight. A pitts was maneuvering around the airport; wide pattern; and was informed he would be #3 for landing; advised of traffic (a cherokee which was my aircraft); and was to follow the traffic. The pilot of the pitts acknowledged and said he had 'traffic in sight.' I looked down to turn on the fuel boost pump; looked up; and the pitts was at my 11 O'clock position; same altitude; making a sharp turn to base (I was on an extended final); maybe 150 ft from my aircraft. Knowing that the pitts had requested the option; I advised ATC I was making a 360 degree turn to 'give the landing aircraft time to land.' tower asked if the aircraft in front of me was too 'tight;' thinking it was the cessna; I responded that the pitts was close but I didn't have a problem performing the 360 degrees; was already performing the maneuver. Training has taught me to not assume anything when flying; even a trusted controller and to be prepared; never give up responsibility for aircraft separation or avoidance. My response to make the 360 degrees avoided a 'complication;' gave the landing aircraft time; and spaced us out. I had thought of a go around but the other pilot obviously wasn't aware of other traffic in the pattern and had then done a touch and go; so a go around could have had us just missing 1 collision to then have another at the other end of the runway. I should have been scanning harder; I assumed the pitts was behind me since the controller told him to follow me. We all know what happens with assumptions. Looking down; even for a brief moment; took only a second but could have been the margin of time needed for earlier awareness. I had my 7 yr old son with me but he's flown enough to know about the sterile cockpit rule; 'we don't talk when papa's landing;' so this wasn't a factor. Again; I believe I made a solid PIC decision and really see how training and practice problem solving; critical thinking; really paid off!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT EXPERIENCES NMAC WITH PITTS BIPLANE ON LNDG APCH.

Narrative: CONTACTED TWR 10 MI OUT; INBOUND; REQUESTING DIRECT TO INTXN AWEMO (7 MI FROM END OF RWY) TO FOLLOW THE LDA RWY 34 APCH; TWR CTLR APPROVED TOLD TO RPT AWEMO; 3-4 ACFT AROUND IN VARIOUS PHASES IN CLASS D AIRSPACE. I NOTIFIED FYV ATC WHEN AT AWEMO; ALT 3500 FT; ATC RPTED 1 ACFT DEPARTING 2 OTHERS; INCLUDING MYSELF; APCHING AND 1 IN THE PATTERN; I WAS CLRED FOR THE VISUAL AND INFORMED I'D BE #2 FOR LNDG. AT ABOUT 2 MI OUT ATC CLRED ME FOR LNDG; ADVISED OF LNDG TFC; A CESSNA TURNING BASE AND THAT I WAS TO FOLLOW THE TFC AND WOULD BE #2 FOR LNDG. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND THAT I HAD TFC IN SIGHT. A PITTS WAS MANEUVERING AROUND THE ARPT; WIDE PATTERN; AND WAS INFORMED HE WOULD BE #3 FOR LNDG; ADVISED OF TFC (A CHEROKEE WHICH WAS MY ACFT); AND WAS TO FOLLOW THE TFC. THE PLT OF THE PITTS ACKNOWLEDGED AND SAID HE HAD 'TFC IN SIGHT.' I LOOKED DOWN TO TURN ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP; LOOKED UP; AND THE PITTS WAS AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS; SAME ALT; MAKING A SHARP TURN TO BASE (I WAS ON AN EXTENDED FINAL); MAYBE 150 FT FROM MY ACFT. KNOWING THAT THE PITTS HAD REQUESTED THE OPTION; I ADVISED ATC I WAS MAKING A 360 DEG TURN TO 'GIVE THE LNDG ACFT TIME TO LAND.' TWR ASKED IF THE ACFT IN FRONT OF ME WAS TOO 'TIGHT;' THINKING IT WAS THE CESSNA; I RESPONDED THAT THE PITTS WAS CLOSE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A PROB PERFORMING THE 360 DEGS; WAS ALREADY PERFORMING THE MANEUVER. TRAINING HAS TAUGHT ME TO NOT ASSUME ANYTHING WHEN FLYING; EVEN A TRUSTED CTLR AND TO BE PREPARED; NEVER GIVE UP RESPONSIBILITY FOR ACFT SEPARATION OR AVOIDANCE. MY RESPONSE TO MAKE THE 360 DEGS AVOIDED A 'COMPLICATION;' GAVE THE LNDG ACFT TIME; AND SPACED US OUT. I HAD THOUGHT OF A GAR BUT THE OTHER PLT OBVIOUSLY WASN'T AWARE OF OTHER TFC IN THE PATTERN AND HAD THEN DONE A TOUCH AND GO; SO A GAR COULD HAVE HAD US JUST MISSING 1 COLLISION TO THEN HAVE ANOTHER AT THE OTHER END OF THE RWY. I SHOULD HAVE BEEN SCANNING HARDER; I ASSUMED THE PITTS WAS BEHIND ME SINCE THE CTLR TOLD HIM TO FOLLOW ME. WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENS WITH ASSUMPTIONS. LOOKING DOWN; EVEN FOR A BRIEF MOMENT; TOOK ONLY A SECOND BUT COULD HAVE BEEN THE MARGIN OF TIME NEEDED FOR EARLIER AWARENESS. I HAD MY 7 YR OLD SON WITH ME BUT HE'S FLOWN ENOUGH TO KNOW ABOUT THE STERILE COCKPIT RULE; 'WE DON'T TALK WHEN PAPA'S LNDG;' SO THIS WASN'T A FACTOR. AGAIN; I BELIEVE I MADE A SOLID PIC DECISION AND REALLY SEE HOW TRAINING AND PRACTICE PROB SOLVING; CRITICAL THINKING; REALLY PAID OFF!

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.