Narrative:

Cdw tower controller instructed me to enter a right downwind for runway 22; told me I was #3 behind an aircraft turning 'base' and to report traffic in sight. At the time; I was on a 45 degree intercept angle to the runway 22 downwind and still descending from approximately 2 SM west of cdw. I could not identify the aircraft on base; and reported the only aircraft I saw was departing runway 22 and was climbing on upwind. Tower abruptly stated 'then you're not looking.' my TCAS then announced a traffic conflict to my right; and as I looked right; I saw a C172 that was turning from crosswind to downwind (apparently doing pattern work) and on a collision course with my aircraft. I continued to descend below tpa to pass under the C172's flight path and estimate that we got within 500 ft laterally and about 200 ft vertically. I reported this contact to the tower controller and he cleared me to land on runway 22. I believe the contributing causes to this near midair collision were: 1) the visual approach from close-in and high; 2) my not descending to tpa at a fast enough rate; 3) the resulting difficulty in seeing traffic already in a busy pattern as I approached; and 4) my concentration on the area (base leg) that I heard in the instructions from tower and my failure to see the other aircraft that was climbing in the crosswind leg to my right. To prevent a recurrence; I would slow the aircraft and descend farther out using s-turns and/or slip if necessary to get down so I have the time for a good scan and time to spot traffic. I also would not enter the pattern if I could not see the other aircraft that was being called out and I would request a 360 or other ATC assistance to avoid a conflict. I would also consider asking approach for vectors to bring me farther west of cdw before handing me off to the tower. That would give me more time inbound to monitor the tower and identify where the traffic is likely to be.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS A NMAC WITH A C172 IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT CDW.

Narrative: CDW TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED ME TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 22; TOLD ME I WAS #3 BEHIND AN ACFT TURNING 'BASE' AND TO RPT TFC IN SIGHT. AT THE TIME; I WAS ON A 45 DEG INTERCEPT ANGLE TO THE RWY 22 DOWNWIND AND STILL DSNDING FROM APPROX 2 SM W OF CDW. I COULD NOT IDENT THE ACFT ON BASE; AND RPTED THE ONLY ACFT I SAW WAS DEPARTING RWY 22 AND WAS CLBING ON UPWIND. TWR ABRUPTLY STATED 'THEN YOU'RE NOT LOOKING.' MY TCAS THEN ANNOUNCED A TFC CONFLICT TO MY R; AND AS I LOOKED R; I SAW A C172 THAT WAS TURNING FROM XWIND TO DOWNWIND (APPARENTLY DOING PATTERN WORK) AND ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH MY ACFT. I CONTINUED TO DSND BELOW TPA TO PASS UNDER THE C172'S FLT PATH AND ESTIMATE THAT WE GOT WITHIN 500 FT LATERALLY AND ABOUT 200 FT VERTICALLY. I RPTED THIS CONTACT TO THE TWR CTLR AND HE CLRED ME TO LAND ON RWY 22. I BELIEVE THE CONTRIBUTING CAUSES TO THIS NMAC WERE: 1) THE VISUAL APCH FROM CLOSE-IN AND HIGH; 2) MY NOT DSNDING TO TPA AT A FAST ENOUGH RATE; 3) THE RESULTING DIFFICULTY IN SEEING TFC ALREADY IN A BUSY PATTERN AS I APCHED; AND 4) MY CONCENTRATION ON THE AREA (BASE LEG) THAT I HEARD IN THE INSTRUCTIONS FROM TWR AND MY FAILURE TO SEE THE OTHER ACFT THAT WAS CLBING IN THE XWIND LEG TO MY R. TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE; I WOULD SLOW THE ACFT AND DSND FARTHER OUT USING S-TURNS AND/OR SLIP IF NECESSARY TO GET DOWN SO I HAVE THE TIME FOR A GOOD SCAN AND TIME TO SPOT TFC. I ALSO WOULD NOT ENTER THE PATTERN IF I COULD NOT SEE THE OTHER ACFT THAT WAS BEING CALLED OUT AND I WOULD REQUEST A 360 OR OTHER ATC ASSISTANCE TO AVOID A CONFLICT. I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER ASKING APCH FOR VECTORS TO BRING ME FARTHER W OF CDW BEFORE HANDING ME OFF TO THE TWR. THAT WOULD GIVE ME MORE TIME INBOUND TO MONITOR THE TWR AND IDENT WHERE THE TFC IS LIKELY TO BE.

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.