C182 ON 5 MI VFR STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RDD AT 2000 FT EXPERIENCED NMAC WITH A C172.

Narrative

I RPTED 8 MI OUT (PER MY GPS) DURING A STRAIGHT IN VFR APCH TO RWY 34 DSNDING AT ABOUT 100 KTS WITH LNDG AND STROBE LIGHTS ON. I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT I WAS FOLLOWING A C172 WHO WAS ON A 3-4 MI FINAL. THE C172 WAS ADVISED TO MAINTAIN AN EXPEDITED APCH SPD. I WAS SCANNING FOR THE TFC AND AT ABOUT 5 MI OUT ASKED THE TWR WHERE MY TFC WAS SINCE I DID NOT SPOT HIM. JUST THEN THE OTHER ACFT; THE C172; RPTED THAT I PASSED 10 FT UNDERNEATH HIM IN THE SAME DIRECTION. WE BOTH LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I BELIEVE THAT THE PRIMARY FACTOR WAS THE INCORRECT POS RPTING OF THE C172 THAT WAS AHEAD OF ME. AS A RESULT; I WAS SCANNING AHEAD TOWARD THE RWY LOOKING FOR THE TFC RATHER THAN NEAR AND ABOVE WHERE THE CONFLICT OCCURRED. IF A TWR RADAR WERE PRESENT AT REDDING IT WOULD ALSO HAVE PROVIDED POSITIVE IDENT AND LOCATION OF TFC. MY ACFT IS ALSO EQUIPPED WITH A TIS (TFC INFO SVC) DISPLAY AND WOULD HAVE PICKED UP THE TARGET EARLY ON TO AVOID THE INCIDENT; BUT THERE WAS NO SVC AVAILABLE IN THAT REGION.