Small Aircraft; High Wing; 1 Eng; Fixed Gear
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 70; Flight Crew Total 5600; Flight Crew Type 2500
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic
Procedure; Human Factors
My plane inside of a 2 mile right base cleared to land. Another [high wing] left downwind reports a beam tower. Tower acknowledged. I keep the plane in sight; and watched him turn left base inside of us. Tower said nothing. The plane turns final ahead of us. Then the Tower jumps on pilot 'you don't turn base till I tell you to! Turn to the south right now.' The plane does and departs the area to the south. After landing the Tower says to us sorry about that. Point is the Tower never saw him turn base until after he was on final. If I would not have seen this plane and if I was just 700 feet closer we would of had a mid-air. The private contract towers are not professional. They talk to pilots like they are a bother to them. Close calls are common. The FAA says it's a county problem. The county Airport Authority blows it off; and gives you a telephone number where you speak to those in charge of all private towers in [the area]. They just defend the towers. These people need testing; human relations class included! I will go in front of any board that will listen. I have taught in area and have seen enough!
A pilot on base observed another aircraft turn in front of him before the Tower personnel noticed the conflict. The pilot is concerned about the attitude of the Contract Tower personnel.