Narrative:

Airport was operating off of runway 10 in a right-hand traffic pattern. There were approximately 8 other aircraft in the control zone area. While on downwind, my instrument and I began to hear a rather urgent and panicky-sounding controller instructing an small aircraft Y to 'look for the small aircraft X off of your right wing.' the controller repeated this over and over, each time sounding more panicked. The small aircraft Y each time replied that he did not see the small aircraft X. Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the small aircraft Y approximately 50' vertical and 100' horizontal to the right of my aircraft. I was the small aircraft X that the controller was referring to! The tower at this airport is a non-federal facility that is used primarily as a training facility for a local college. I am uncertain if the controller on duty was a student; however, she sounded as if she was having trouble handling this pre-evening crunch of traffic because just before the incident, she announced that all traffic must be full stop and that all touch and go's were cancelled. Additionally, her voice sounded very flustered. The pilot of the small aircraft Y was also a student. I was unable to see the small aircraft Y coming toward me because I was in a slight nose high attitude, climbing to pattern altitude. The controller knew that I was headed toward this 'lost' small aircraft Y. It happened at mid-field, right in front of her! Why wasn't I made aware of the situation so I could've taken evasive action if necessary? Instead, the controller just raised her voice and expected the small aircraft Y to see the small aircraft X. Unfortunately, there were at least 4 other small aircraft X's in the pattern. It could've been any one of them. She knew my call sign because I was #4 to land, I feel that she should've turned me left, out of the pattern as a corrective action instead of just raising her voice. Situation awareness would have benefitted all involved in this incident!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CLOSE PROX 2 GA SMA IN TRAFFIC AT BVI.

Narrative: ARPT WAS OPERATING OFF OF RWY 10 IN A RIGHT-HAND TFC PATTERN. THERE WERE APPROX 8 OTHER ACFT IN THE CTL ZONE AREA. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, MY INSTR AND I BEGAN TO HEAR A RATHER URGENT AND PANICKY-SOUNDING CTLR INSTRUCTING AN SMA Y TO 'LOOK FOR THE SMA X OFF OF YOUR RIGHT WING.' THE CTLR REPEATED THIS OVER AND OVER, EACH TIME SOUNDING MORE PANICKED. THE SMA Y EACH TIME REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE SMA X. SUDDENLY, OUT OF THE CORNER OF MY EYE, I SAW THE SMA Y APPROX 50' VERT AND 100' HORIZ TO THE RIGHT OF MY ACFT. I WAS THE SMA X THAT THE CTLR WAS REFERRING TO! THE TWR AT THIS ARPT IS A NON-FEDERAL FAC THAT IS USED PRIMARILY AS A TRNING FAC FOR A LCL COLLEGE. I AM UNCERTAIN IF THE CTLR ON DUTY WAS A STUDENT; HOWEVER, SHE SOUNDED AS IF SHE WAS HAVING TROUBLE HANDLING THIS PRE-EVENING CRUNCH OF TFC BECAUSE JUST BEFORE THE INCIDENT, SHE ANNOUNCED THAT ALL TFC MUST BE FULL STOP AND THAT ALL TOUCH AND GO'S WERE CANCELLED. ADDITIONALLY, HER VOICE SOUNDED VERY FLUSTERED. THE PLT OF THE SMA Y WAS ALSO A STUDENT. I WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE SMA Y COMING TOWARD ME BECAUSE I WAS IN A SLIGHT NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE, CLBING TO PATTERN ALT. THE CTLR KNEW THAT I WAS HEADED TOWARD THIS 'LOST' SMA Y. IT HAPPENED AT MID-FIELD, RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER! WHY WASN'T I MADE AWARE OF THE SITUATION SO I COULD'VE TAKEN EVASIVE ACTION IF NECESSARY? INSTEAD, THE CTLR JUST RAISED HER VOICE AND EXPECTED THE SMA Y TO SEE THE SMA X. UNFORTUNATELY, THERE WERE AT LEAST 4 OTHER SMA X'S IN THE PATTERN. IT COULD'VE BEEN ANY ONE OF THEM. SHE KNEW MY CALL SIGN BECAUSE I WAS #4 TO LAND, I FEEL THAT SHE SHOULD'VE TURNED ME LEFT, OUT OF THE PATTERN AS A CORRECTIVE ACTION INSTEAD OF JUST RAISING HER VOICE. SITUATION AWARENESS WOULD HAVE BENEFITTED ALL INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT!

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.