Cessna 310/T310C
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Aircraft
I was #3 to land Runway 26. There was a runway change; and I had departed Runway 17 and was told to enter left downwind Runway 26. I had a shortened downwind due to switching runway and while on downwind I saw a plane on very short final and another about 2 mile final for Runway 26. I did not see the relevant #2 traffic; the Cessna 172 that I cut in front of. I never saw the Cessna 172 due to the angle of approach and the low wing / nacelles of my aircraft. I was focused on spacing my aircraft on what I thought was #2 traffic; now #1 to land and my spacing put me directly over the relevant #2 traffic; the Cessna 172.I never saw the near miss; my miss distance estimate is from him. He told me that I rolled out on final for 26 from above and in front of him 500 feet.A contributing factor was cockpit workload getting the 310 configured for landing. The gear was up and I dropped it late on base (normally I drop gear at the downwind; but I was still climbing in downwind on this landing.) I was heads down for a few critical seconds that I might have caught the traffic while on base leg.I continued the landing on Runway 26 as directed; and the Cessna 172 was told to go-around. I was on speed at 105 mph when the incident occurred; so I was overtaking the C172.
C310 pilot reported a NMAC in the traffic pattern.