PA32 PLT HAD AN NMAC WITH A HIGH WING CESSNA AT PAO.

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ON A WKEND FLT HOME WITH THE FAMILY; I WAS ON DOWNWIND AT 800 FT IN THE PATTERN. MY SPD WAS RELATIVELY HIGH (140 KIAS) DUE TO A RAPID DSCNT (PROBABLY LATE) FROM 6500 FT OVER SUNOL. TWR RPTED TFC DURING DOWNWIND WHILE I SHORTLY THEREAFTER SPOTTED AND RPTED IN SIGHT. I WAS ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MI ON THE 45 DEG (FOR RWY 31R TFC). AS I TRIED TO SLOW DOWN TO MY GEAR DOWN SPD OF 129 KIAS; I DIDN'T FOCUS ENOUGH ATTN OUTSIDE AND LOST MY TFC (A CESSNA). I DID NOT TELL THE TWR 'NEGATIVE ON THE TFC.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER; ABOUT 1 1/2 - 2 MO FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 31; I SUDDENLY SAW THE CESSNA TURNING BASE UNDERNEATH ME. I HAD (THANK GOD) NOT DSNDED YET; BUT WAS STARTING TO. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED UP AND TO THE L SINCE IT LOOKED AS IF THE CESSNA WAS GOING TO CROSS MY PATH. THE TWR UP TO THAT POINT HAD NOT WARNED ME OF THE TFC BEING TOO CLOSE. I SIMPLY NEARLY OVERRAN THE OTHER ACFT. AS I CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND; I ASKED TWR FOR TURING BASE SEVERAL TIMES. THE THIRD TIME I HEARD SOME DIFFERENT VOICES ON THE FREQ AND ONE VOICE SAID 'YOU'RE TALKING TO BAY.' I WILL NEVER KNOW WHETHER MY EVASIVE MANEUVER PUSHED THE RADIO SWITCH BUTTON ON MY YOKE OR IF MY RADIOS MALFUNCTIONED. AFTER SWITCHING THE FREQ TO COM #1; I HEARD THE TWR SAY 'TURN BASE' WITH A LOUD; IMPATIENT VOICE. HE PROBABLY HAD TOLD ME THAT SEVERAL TIMES; BUT I DIDN'T HEAR IT. NO MENTION OF THE NEAR MISS. I THINK THE TWR (AND THE CESSNA) NEVER SAW ME! CONCLUSION: DSND EARLIER AND FLY SLOWER IN THE PATTERN; HAVE THE GEAR DOWN ON THE 34. KEEP EYES OUTSIDE ALL THE TIME AND RPT LOST TFC IMMEDIATELY. I WAS TOO COMPLACENT THAT DAY.