C172 PLT HAS NEAR MIDAIR WITH ANOTHER C172 ON APCH TO MKC.

Narrative

ON A LONG STRAIGHT IN APCH INTO MKC; RWY 21; I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY THE CTLING TWR AT MKC. THERE WAS HVY CONGESTION ON THE TWR FREQ AT MKC THIS NIGHT. APPROX 5 MI FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY; I WAS CLRED TO LAND BY MKC TWR. A FEW MOMENTS AFTER I WAS CLRED TO LAND; I HEARD A PLT RPTING 'CESSNA L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 21.' THE TWR RESPONDED WITH 'SECOND TO LAND; AFTER THE LNDG TFC (ME) ON FINAL.' AFTER SOME FREQ CONGESTION; THE OTHER CESSNA PLT RESPONDED BACK; 'I DO NOT SEE LNDG TFC; CAN YOU POINT OUT?' AFTER SOME FREQ CONGESTION AGAIN (ABOUT 30 SECONDS LATER); TWR RESPONDED 'LNDG TFC; 4 MI FINAL.' I CONTINUED TO DSND AND SLOWING DOWN MY PLANE TO APPROX 80 KTS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO LOWER 10 DEGS OF FLAPS. MY CESSNA DOES NOT HAVE A NOTCHED FLAP SWITCH; SO A VISUAL READING FROM THE FLAP INDICATOR IS NEEDED TO STOP THE FLAPS FROM GOING ALL THE WAY TO 40 DEGS. I VERIFIED THAT I HAD 10 DEGS OF FLAPS. WHEN I LOOKED UP AND SAW THE OTHER CESSNA OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE AT MY 10 O'CLOCK POS. THE OTHER CESSNA WAS ABOUT 100 FT IN FRONT OF ME; 200 FT HIGHER THAN ME AND 100 FT HORIZ FROM ME. THE OTHER CESSNA WAS BANKING HIS HARD L TURNING AWAY; SWEEPING 80 DEGS FROM MY POS. PRIOR TO THAT POS; I SUSPECT THE OTHER CESSNA WAS ALMOST DIRECTLY ON TOP OF ME; TURNING BASE TO FINAL. I IMMEDIATELY BROADCAST THE OTHER CESSNA'S POS RELATIVE TO MINE. TWR INTERVENED TO THE OTHER CESSNA 'DO YOU HAVE LNDG TFC IN SIGHT?' THE OTHER CESSNA RESPONDED WITH 'I DO NOW.' BESIDES THE OTHER CESSNA BEING OUT OF MY SIGHT; I STILL FEEL THAT I COULD HAVE DONE MORE TO LOCATE OTHER TFC. I FEEL COMFORTABLE LNDG IN THIS CTLED ARPT; AS THIS IS THE BASE FOR MY CESSNA; AND I HAVE MANY LNDGS HERE. I AM WELL ACCLIMATED WITH MKC. AND; I WAS 'CLRED TO LAND.' I SCANNED THE AREA FOR TFC; BUT THERE NEVER CAN BE ENOUGH SCANNING FOR OTHER TFC. SINCE THE INCIDENT; I HAVE INCLUDED MILD 'S-TURNS' INTO MY LNDG ROUTINE IN CTLED AIRSPACE. DIPPING BOTH WINGS WILL INCREASE MY VISUAL AREA SIGNIFICANTLY. THE OTHER FACTOR I THINK CONTRIBUTE TO THE INCIDENT WAS FREQ CONGESTION. IT WAS CONGESTION COUPLED WITH OTHER PLTS BEING IMPATIENT. OTHER PLTS WERE 'IN A HURRY' TO SAY AND ASK. THIS LED TO PLTS TALKING ON TOP OF EACH OTHER ON THE FREQ.