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Tower controller reported a VFR aircraft that was supposed to follow a B737 on short final turned into the B737 instead resulting in a near midair collision.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1679509 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201909 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601-1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.Airport |
| State Reference | US |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | Initial Approach |
| Route In Use | None |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Final Approach |
| Route In Use | Other Instrument Approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Local Flight Data / Clearance Delivery Ground |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 6.0 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict NMAC Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
I was working all positions combined in the tower and it was a sunny clear day. Aircraft Y was on runway xx approach. Aircraft X was inbound from the northwest on the VFR arrival route and negative transponder. Aircraft Y was on 9 mile final when aircraft X was just north of the airport. I instructed aircraft X to continue left traffic for runway xx (west-bound runway heading) and follow aircraft Y on 9 mile final. Aircraft X acknowledged and continued on left traffic runway xx. I cleared aircraft Z for departure on runway xx when aircraft Y was on 6 mile final. I next told aircraft X to follow the 737 caution wake turbulence runway xx cleared to land number two. Aircraft X read back roger cleared to land after the 737. The morning sun and the hills in the background made it difficult to see but it looked like aircraft X was cutting it in close on base to final behind aircraft Y. I next told aircraft X that the jet needs to be clear of runway and s turns are approved if he needs it. Next aircraft Y says he was going around. I issue the go around and aircraft Y elects to come back around on the visual approach. Then aircraft X elects to go around as well and issue the go around and a wake turbulence cautionary and a resequence. Both aircraft flew a lap in the pattern and landed without incident. I told the pilot of aircraft X to call the tower as he was taxing to parking. While on the downwind the pilot of aircraft Y said that he went around because the cherokee was too close at about 300 ft and he would call it a near midair. After talking to the pilot of aircraft X on the phone he said that the sun was in his eyes and lost sight of aircraft Y and he thought number two behind the departing B737 and apologized for the mix up resulting in aircraft Y going around.it would have helped in aircraft X had a transponder as I could have had a better idea of his position on our [radar] display. Also the pilot of aircraft X could be educated on sequencing/following traffic. He got mixed up and lost sight of the other jet and thought he was number two behind the departing B737.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Tower Controller reported a VFR aircraft that was supposed to follow a B737 on short final turned into the B737 instead resulting in a NMAC.
Narrative: I was working all positions combined in the tower and it was a sunny clear day. Aircraft Y was on Runway XX Approach. Aircraft X was inbound from the northwest on the VFR arrival route and negative transponder. Aircraft Y was on 9 mile final when Aircraft X was just north of the airport. I instructed Aircraft X to continue left traffic for runway XX (west-bound runway heading) and follow Aircraft Y on 9 mile final. Aircraft X acknowledged and continued on left traffic Runway XX. I cleared Aircraft Z for departure on Runway XX when Aircraft Y was on 6 mile final. I next told Aircraft X to follow the 737 caution wake turbulence Runway XX cleared to land number two. Aircraft X read back roger cleared to land after the 737. The morning sun and the hills in the background made it difficult to see but it looked like Aircraft X was cutting it in close on base to final behind Aircraft Y. I next told Aircraft X that the jet needs to be clear of runway and s turns are approved if he needs it. Next Aircraft Y says he was going around. I issue the go around and Aircraft Y elects to come back around on the Visual Approach. Then Aircraft X elects to go around as well and issue the go around and a wake turbulence cautionary and a resequence. Both aircraft flew a lap in the pattern and landed without incident. I told the pilot of Aircraft X to call the tower as he was taxing to parking. While on the downwind the pilot of Aircraft Y said that he went around because the cherokee was too close at about 300 ft and he would call it a near midair. After talking to the pilot of Aircraft X on the phone he said that the sun was in his eyes and lost sight of Aircraft Y and he thought number two behind the departing B737 and apologized for the mix up resulting in Aircraft Y going around.It would have helped in Aircraft X had a transponder as I could have had a better idea of his position on our [radar] display. Also the pilot of Aircraft X could be educated on sequencing/following traffic. He got mixed up and lost sight of the other jet and thought he was number two behind the departing B737.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.