Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 40; Flight Crew Total 780; Flight Crew Type 210
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Human Factors; Procedure
Approaching PAE from the southeast; about 3 miles out and descending through 2400 MSL; the tower advised me of opposite-direction traffic departing Rwy 16L. He had previously instructed me to enter a left downwind and call mid-field for that runway. Shortly after; the controller instructed me to turn west. I hesitated as this made no sense; and he repeated the instruction. I complied at once. About 10 seconds later I spotted the traffic at my 10 o'clock on a converging course and about 300 feet below me; our courses crossed about 3 seconds later. Happily our altitudes were such that we didn't approach too closely.I think my turning west there was an inappropriate instruction. As I recall from private pilot training; head-on converging aircraft should each turn to its right. I should have been instructed to turn north; and the other aircraft to turn south to maintain separation.
The pilot of a general aviation aircraft reported a near mid-air collision after ATC issued a turn that the pilot felt exasperated an opposite direction traffic condition.