Lancair Legacy
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 26; Flight Crew Total 2349; Flight Crew Type 853
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation - Speed All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airspace Structure; Procedure
This is all about a go-around. At nine miles east of ZZZ making for a straight in for runway XX I see an airplane just above and ahead of me. I assume at that time he is the aircraft talking to tower and making a practice instrument approach. I made a 360 degree turn to put spacing between us. Having completed the turn; at eight miles I call tower. I am told to make straight in for runway XX; report three miles. Approximately five miles I let tower know this isn't going to work as I am overtaking the aircraft in front. Tower has the aircraft execute a missed approach with a left turn to the south. I am then told that I am cleared to land. I was not told that I was cleared number two to land. I believe that the controller forgot that another aircraft was in front of me.As I got closer to the runway I see what looks like an aircraft on the runway. It did not appear to be moving. I believe the aircraft was in flight on the same descent angle as myself and therefore there was no appearance of movement. I observed the aircraft on what now appeared to be on rollout and I'm trying to figure out if he is going to exit the next taxiway. I asked the tower if I am still cleared to land. Tower said 'go around' then immediately said that I was cleared to land and I am still calculating in my head whether this is going to work; and keeping my speed up a little because this is not looking good. Now the tower comes back with 'go around' at the same time as I was going to tell the tower that I'm going around. I applied full power; stopped the descent and started to clean up the aircraft. The tower tells me to 'go to the left'. I assumed that meant to the left side of the runway which is where I went as I climbed. The tower then said 'I said go to the left.' I believe in hindsight that as I climbed it appeared to the tower that I was going to the right of the runway; therefore his response. However since I was going to the left side of the runway as first instructed when he repeated himself so bluntly; I believed he wanted me to have the runway on my left so I responded accordingly. Again in hindsight I believe that this put me in a better position to see and keep clear of the aircraft that was either on the runway or executing a touch and go.As I neared the road which marked the edge of Class B airspace I turned crosswind followed by a turn to the downwind. As I am about midfield to runway XX tower says 'you have no business doing 170 knots in the pattern.' The way he said it took me aback and I responded 'I'm only indicating 156 knots.' Tower says 'I have you on radar doing 170 knots.' While I don't argue that point; what he is not factoring in is that I now have a tailwind. Regardless; I was not aware that 170 knots exceeded any speed limit in the pattern. My object up to that point was to put altitude and distance between the other aircraft and myself as I could not see him. The tower then tells me that I was going too fast on my approach to the landing. I do remember looking at my airspeed as I crossed over the numbers (109 kts) as I applied power etc. to execute the go around. My normal indicated over the numbers is 100 kts.The rest of the flight was uneventful. Later I tried to call the tower to discuss what had happened. There was no answer so I left a message for the tower manager indicating that I wanted him to pull the tapes and talk to the controller on duty at the time.Two days later; the tower manager called. I discussed the entire event and again requested that he pull the tapes. He indicated that he would do so and would use the tapes for training purposes. He also said that he would talk to the controller who was now supposed to be on vacation and call me back. Several days later; after the holiday the Tower Manager did call back but his attitude about pulling the tapes had changed. I was now told that the controller was a student but was plugged in with a trainer. The Manager now says that he doesn't have the time to pull the tapes nor staff to pull controllers to be able to have a meeting with me to listen to the tapes and have a discussion about the event and how both sides could improve.The verbiage from the tower was not clear and was somewhat aggressive and combative. In hindsight both the controller and I should have initiated a go around much earlier. There shouldn't have been this aggressive; accusatory behavior from the controller which was distracting to me as I'm trying to aviate; navigate then communicate. His behavior elicited the worst from me. If given the chance to have a discussion after listening to the tapes I believe there is a lot that could be learned.
Lancair Legacy pilot reported confusion and conflicting instructions from ATC while on short final which ultimately led to a go-around.