Narrative:

Reported at 5 mi radius, port chicago, to ccr tower. Tower issued instructions to report entering downwind for landing 32R. I proceeded, reducing power and setting up for traffic pattern at 1000' to enter on a 45 right traffic for runway 32. I had a passenger with me, also a private pilot. Approximately 30 seconds before incident she looked to the right for traffic and stated, 'everything is clear.' I also glanced outside and saw no other traffic. Immediately before keying the microphone to state my position of entering downwind both of us saw another aircraft on our right-hand side, at midfield. The plane was a bi-colored low wing and at first glance the left wing was higher that the right, which caused me to not be able to see the cockpit fully. Within a second, and not taking the time to call the tower, I immediately applied full power and climbed to my left. At no time during these few seconds did the tower ever contact either aircraft. After a couple of seconds, after being sure where the other plane was (my passenger was looking for me), I notified the tower I was on downwind. At this point I was almost parallel with the #'south. It was then that the tower said something like, 'a near collision,' etc, and told me I was #2 to land. Following a plane below me and to my right. The tower had previously instructed this plane to maintain present altitude (below tpa). After landing and talking with other male pilot he stated he was 'sorry.' he had been doing touch and go's, landing on the #'south, and had taken off early, apparently turning crosswind at the midfield point vs the end of the runway. I feel I reacted promptly and correctly; however, I do seriously question the diligence of the controller(south) not to warn of 2 aircraft in the same position in the landing pattern with only minimal sep.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.

Narrative: RPTED AT 5 MI RADIUS, PORT CHICAGO, TO CCR TWR. TWR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO RPT ENTERING DOWNWIND FOR LNDG 32R. I PROCEEDED, REDUCING PWR AND SETTING UP FOR TFC PATTERN AT 1000' TO ENTER ON A 45 RIGHT TFC FOR RWY 32. I HAD A PAX WITH ME, ALSO A PVT PLT. APPROX 30 SECS BEFORE INCIDENT SHE LOOKED TO THE RIGHT FOR TFC AND STATED, 'EVERYTHING IS CLR.' I ALSO GLANCED OUTSIDE AND SAW NO OTHER TFC. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE KEYING THE MIC TO STATE MY POS OF ENTERING DOWNWIND BOTH OF US SAW ANOTHER ACFT ON OUR RIGHT-HAND SIDE, AT MIDFIELD. THE PLANE WAS A BI-COLORED LOW WING AND AT FIRST GLANCE THE LEFT WING WAS HIGHER THAT THE RIGHT, WHICH CAUSED ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO SEE THE COCKPIT FULLY. WITHIN A SECOND, AND NOT TAKING THE TIME TO CALL THE TWR, I IMMEDIATELY APPLIED FULL PWR AND CLBED TO MY LEFT. AT NO TIME DURING THESE FEW SECS DID THE TWR EVER CONTACT EITHER ACFT. AFTER A COUPLE OF SECS, AFTER BEING SURE WHERE THE OTHER PLANE WAS (MY PAX WAS LOOKING FOR ME), I NOTIFIED THE TWR I WAS ON DOWNWIND. AT THIS POINT I WAS ALMOST PARALLEL WITH THE #'S. IT WAS THEN THAT THE TWR SAID SOMETHING LIKE, 'A NEAR COLLISION,' ETC, AND TOLD ME I WAS #2 TO LAND. FOLLOWING A PLANE BELOW ME AND TO MY RIGHT. THE TWR HAD PREVIOUSLY INSTRUCTED THIS PLANE TO MAINTAIN PRESENT ALT (BELOW TPA). AFTER LNDG AND TALKING WITH OTHER MALE PLT HE STATED HE WAS 'SORRY.' HE HAD BEEN DOING TOUCH AND GO'S, LNDG ON THE #'S, AND HAD TAKEN OFF EARLY, APPARENTLY TURNING XWIND AT THE MIDFIELD POINT VS THE END OF THE RWY. I FEEL I REACTED PROMPTLY AND CORRECTLY; HOWEVER, I DO SERIOUSLY QUESTION THE DILIGENCE OF THE CTLR(S) NOT TO WARN OF 2 ACFT IN THE SAME POS IN THE LNDG PATTERN WITH ONLY MINIMAL SEP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.