Near midair collision occurred in tarffic pattern while training in progress.

Attributes
ACN	111226
Time
Date	198905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mri
State Reference	AK
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : mri tower : hrl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 36 flight time type : 36
ASRS Report	111226
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

I am a student pilot and soloed for the first time last 8/88. I didn't fly all winter and this flight was my first solo of this yr. I was doing touch and goes in the pattern at merrill field. With the instrument I had always used a headset, but this time I was only using the push-to-talk microphone and the speaker. I had already turned base when the tower advised me to follow an small aircraft on final to my right. I advised I was looking for traffic, but did not have them in sight. They called a second time with the same instructions to follow the small aircraft on final to my right. I advised I still did not have traffic in sight, but began a turn to the right out of base leg and at that moment the small aircraft passed directly over me at approximately 100'. He called and talked to my instrument after he landed. I feel my inexperience probably contributed significantly to the situation as well as using the ptt and speaker rather than the headset. The tower may have called me and I didn't hear them, but by then I had turned and my wing was blocking my view of the traffic.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OCCURRED IN TARFFIC PATTERN WHILE TRAINING IN PROGRESS.

Narrative: I AM A STUDENT PLT AND SOLOED FOR THE FIRST TIME LAST 8/88. I DIDN'T FLY ALL WINTER AND THIS FLT WAS MY FIRST SOLO OF THIS YR. I WAS DOING TOUCH AND GOES IN THE PATTERN AT MERRILL FIELD. WITH THE INSTR I HAD ALWAYS USED A HEADSET, BUT THIS TIME I WAS ONLY USING THE PUSH-TO-TALK MIC AND THE SPEAKER. I HAD ALREADY TURNED BASE WHEN THE TWR ADVISED ME TO FOLLOW AN SMA ON FINAL TO MY RIGHT. I ADVISED I WAS LOOKING FOR TFC, BUT DID NOT HAVE THEM IN SIGHT. THEY CALLED A SECOND TIME WITH THE SAME INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW THE SMA ON FINAL TO MY RIGHT. I ADVISED I STILL DID NOT HAVE TFC IN SIGHT, BUT BEGAN A TURN TO THE RIGHT OUT OF BASE LEG AND AT THAT MOMENT THE SMA PASSED DIRECTLY OVER ME AT APPROX 100'. HE CALLED AND TALKED TO MY INSTR AFTER HE LANDED. I FEEL MY INEXPERIENCE PROBABLY CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE SITUATION AS WELL AS USING THE PTT AND SPEAKER RATHER THAN THE HEADSET. THE TWR MAY HAVE CALLED ME AND I DIDN'T HEAR THEM, BUT BY THEN I HAD TURNED AND MY WING WAS BLOCKING MY VIEW OF THE TFC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.