Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Retractable Gear
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 150; Flight Crew Total 1700; Flight Crew Type 1400
Other / Unknown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors; Procedure
I was inbound to Centennial Airport for landing from the southeast. I called Centennial tower and advised of my intentions approximately 10 miles southeast. Centennial Tower cleared me to enter a midfield left downwind runway 17L. I requested runway 28 and was denied due to a high wing tail dragger aircraft doing touch and goes on runway 10. I entered my mid field left downwind for runway 17L. I was issued a traffic alert by the tower for the high wing aircraft doing touch and goes on 10. I was unable to locate the traffic and advised tower of this. My traffic alerter system in my aircraft advised me of the traffic climbing into me from the right but I could not locate this traffic. About 5 seconds later this aircraft crossed my nose at the same altitude within 200'. I turned to the right to avoid a collision. I advised tower that I now had the traffic and almost collided. Tower informed me that he had another aircraft coming from right to left in front of me on a left base leg and I was to follow that traffic for 17L. Tower cleared me number 2 to land behind the second aircraft (second aircraft was a high wing white Cessna 172). I turned final behind the traffic and slowed to approach speed. I observed that I had plenty of room for landing behind the aircraft. Once the aircraft touched down in front of me the tower cleared it to exit the runway to the left on the reverse high speed taxiway. I observed the aircraft to be beyond this taxiway he was cleared for. Moments later the aircraft stopped on the runway then proceeded to make a wide left turn to almost face me. Tower issued me a go around clearance. I was now trying to climb over the runway traffic on 17L because the high wing tail dragger was on a 'crazy' left base for runway 10 over the ramp to the left of runway 17L. There was touch and go traffic on my parallel runway 17R; so I could not go right. I informed tower when I could not go straight without hitting the traffic on my runway that I was going to have to go right. As I continued my climb out tower cleared me for a left downwind runway 17L again. I informed tower that I would not accept 17L left downwind again due to the high wing tail dragger doing touch and goes on 10. Tower informed me that the tail dragger had made a full stop on runway 10. At this time I observed the tail dragger exit the runway as I was turning crosswind. I requested runway 28 for a full stop. Tower cleared me for the full stop. After landing I requested the tower phone number. After securing my aircraft I contacted the tower at the number given. The tower supervisor answered the phone. I asked the tower supervisor why I had been given the clearance for the left downwind runway 17L with conflicting cross traffic for another runway. Supervisor stated he did not know other than the controller did not expect me to be where I was. I asked if my downwind was flown different than expected. The supervisor stated that I had not; and the controller should have issued me a clearance to fly a downwind beyond the conflicting traffic. I asked the supervisor why the controller cleared the traffic that landed ahead of me for a taxiway that was already past causing it to stop and reverse on the runway in front of me. The supervisor stated that airplane stopped for a reason not known to them; and that it was beyond his control. I asked the supervisor why the tail dragger was doing touch and go landings on a cross runway while landings on the main runways where in use. The tower supervisor stated that is what they let this particular pilot fly in case he loses his engine. I asked how many times he flies thinking he is going to lose his engine; because this was about the 20th flight I had seen. The tower supervisor did not have an answer.
Cessna pilot reports a NMAC in the traffic pattern at APA requiring evasive action. The traffic landing ahead of the reporter does not clear the runway after landing requiring a go-around. The traffic on the runway; the traffic for the parallel runway and the traffic for the crossing runway were all cited as conflicts during the go-around.