NMAC BTWN A CRUISING C175 BANNER TOW AND A DC9 3 NM SW OF PIE; ON A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 35R.

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WE HAD A BANNER TO FLY FOR A LCL CAR DEALER TO CIRCLE A TENT SALE IN CLEARWATER. WE HAD PASSED THROUGH THE AIRSPACE BELONGING TO ALBERT WHITTED ARPT; WHICH WE WERE IN CONTACT WITH AND HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO ST PETERSBURG/CLEARWATER TWR. WE MADE CONTACT AND WERE TALKING BACK AND FORTH AS THE TAPES WILL SHOW. WE WERE ALERTED TO A SBOUND DSNDING DC9 ON A L BASE TO RWY 35R AT PIE AT WHICH POINT THE CTLR ASKED US 'ACFT X; DO YOU HAVE VISUAL?' OUR REPLY WAS 'NO.' THE CTLR ASKED AGAIN AND WE REPLIED 'YES; WE HAVE VISUAL; THE ACFT IS DSNDING AND TURNING L.' THE TWR INFORMED US THAT HE WAS NOT SPEAKING TO THE DC9 AND EMPHASIZED THAT WE MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT. AS THE OTHER ACFT CONTINUED TURNING IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE US IN VISUAL CONTACT. WE WERE FORCED TO DSND AND TURN TO AVOID A POTENTIAL ACCIDENT; LOSING ABOUT 500-600 FT FROM OUR ORIGINAL ALT OF 1000 FT. AFTER TURNING AND ROLLING BACK OUT WE REESTABLISHED VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE DC9; WHICH WAS ROLLING OUT ON FINAL; AND STILL HAD NOT MADE RADIO CONTACT WITH ST PETERSBURG TWR.