Close proximity 2 small aircraft's in air traffic area at pao.

Attributes
ACN	130555
Time
Date	198912
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pao
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 800 agl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pao artcc : ztl
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 800 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	130555
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

The tower told me to follow an small aircraft Y on right downwind. At the time I was on left downwind. I thought I saw my traffic, but wasn't certain because it seemed pretty far downwind--almost beyond the pattern. At this time, I was about opposite the tower on downwind at 80-90 KTS. After scanning for possible traffic in other directions, I lost track of the small aircraft Y and could not find him. I wanted to ask the tower where he was, but the frequency was too congested. The tower then announced (unsolicited) that my traffic was by the gold course (don't remember their exact words). This surprised me because I was well past the gold course and thought the small aircraft Y must have been too. I think I was downwind as far as the railroad bridge, but don't remember exactly. I couldn't find my traffic, but decided to turn base because I thought the small aircraft Y must have already turned base since the tower had said he was back by the gold course, and I didn't think the small aircraft Y had any traffic to cause him to extend as far downwind as I had. The radio was still congested. Since I was so far downwind and didn't have my traffic in sight, I stayed at pattern altitude (800'). When I was getting ready to turn final I found my traffic--directly ahead and below, about to turn final. I don't know if he saw me or if the tower realized we were both on base (left and right) at the same time. I made a right 270 degree turn and followed the small aircraft Y to a landing. (I told the tower I was making a 360 degree turn for spacing, but the strong crosswind from the northeast had me lined up on final after 270 degrees.) in the future, I plan to have my traffic in sight before turning base, or ask the tower to call my base. Also, the tower should learn to judge distance better--the small aircraft Y must have been well downwind of the golf course (as I was) when they reported him near the golf course. Also, it was hard to perceive traffic because the background was so full of detail (60 mi visibility). The small aircraft Y was obscured by the coastal hills in the background. It's easier to see traffic against a hazy day background.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 SMA'S IN ATA AT PAO.

Narrative: THE TWR TOLD ME TO FOLLOW AN SMA Y ON RIGHT DOWNWIND. AT THE TIME I WAS ON LEFT DOWNWIND. I THOUGHT I SAW MY TFC, BUT WASN'T CERTAIN BECAUSE IT SEEMED PRETTY FAR DOWNWIND--ALMOST BEYOND THE PATTERN. AT THIS TIME, I WAS ABOUT OPPOSITE THE TWR ON DOWNWIND AT 80-90 KTS. AFTER SCANNING FOR POSSIBLE TFC IN OTHER DIRECTIONS, I LOST TRACK OF THE SMA Y AND COULD NOT FIND HIM. I WANTED TO ASK THE TWR WHERE HE WAS, BUT THE FREQ WAS TOO CONGESTED. THE TWR THEN ANNOUNCED (UNSOLICITED) THAT MY TFC WAS BY THE GOLD COURSE (DON'T REMEMBER THEIR EXACT WORDS). THIS SURPRISED ME BECAUSE I WAS WELL PAST THE GOLD COURSE AND THOUGHT THE SMA Y MUST HAVE BEEN TOO. I THINK I WAS DOWNWIND AS FAR AS THE RAILROAD BRIDGE, BUT DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY. I COULDN'T FIND MY TFC, BUT DECIDED TO TURN BASE BECAUSE I THOUGHT THE SMA Y MUST HAVE ALREADY TURNED BASE SINCE THE TWR HAD SAID HE WAS BACK BY THE GOLD COURSE, AND I DIDN'T THINK THE SMA Y HAD ANY TFC TO CAUSE HIM TO EXTEND AS FAR DOWNWIND AS I HAD. THE RADIO WAS STILL CONGESTED. SINCE I WAS SO FAR DOWNWIND AND DIDN'T HAVE MY TFC IN SIGHT, I STAYED AT PATTERN ALT (800'). WHEN I WAS GETTING READY TO TURN FINAL I FOUND MY TFC--DIRECTLY AHEAD AND BELOW, ABOUT TO TURN FINAL. I DON'T KNOW IF HE SAW ME OR IF THE TWR REALIZED WE WERE BOTH ON BASE (LEFT AND RIGHT) AT THE SAME TIME. I MADE A RIGHT 270 DEG TURN AND FOLLOWED THE SMA Y TO A LNDG. (I TOLD THE TWR I WAS MAKING A 360 DEG TURN FOR SPACING, BUT THE STRONG XWIND FROM THE NE HAD ME LINED UP ON FINAL AFTER 270 DEGS.) IN THE FUTURE, I PLAN TO HAVE MY TFC IN SIGHT BEFORE TURNING BASE, OR ASK THE TWR TO CALL MY BASE. ALSO, THE TWR SHOULD LEARN TO JUDGE DISTANCE BETTER--THE SMA Y MUST HAVE BEEN WELL DOWNWIND OF THE GOLF COURSE (AS I WAS) WHEN THEY RPTED HIM NEAR THE GOLF COURSE. ALSO, IT WAS HARD TO PERCEIVE TFC BECAUSE THE BACKGROUND WAS SO FULL OF DETAIL (60 MI VISIBILITY). THE SMA Y WAS OBSCURED BY THE COASTAL HILLS IN THE BACKGROUND. IT'S EASIER TO SEE TFC AGAINST A HAZY DAY BACKGROUND.

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.