Narrative:

This incident took place while I was in the traffic pattern of crq. I reported downwind 24R abeam the tower and was told that I was #2 following the SM on right base. I reported that I had the traffic in sight. After watching the small aircraft reach short final, I began to turn to right base. Upon reaching the point where I would start to turn right to final, I was looking to the right to estimate my turn to final and looking back to the front I saw an small aircraft directly ahead and above me that appeared to be on final approach. At that time I turned immediately to the right and descended 100' and began to return to the downwind leg. After taking the evasive action I contacted the tower to try and find out where the other small aircraft had come from. The tower told me that was the small aircraft I was supposed to be following and to proceed downwind for resequencing behind an small aircraft that was then on final. I did this and then was cleared to land, which I did. After thinking about this incident, I am not sure if I did not hear the tower's initial instructions to me correctly or if the other aircraft came into the pattern from left base. As I recall, there were approximately 5 other aircraft in various states of approach to the airport at the time. This is an extremely busy airport at times and aircraft are approaching from virtually every entry point available. I feel that from this time on when using this airport I will request the tower to call my base turn at all times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA IN TRAFFIC PATTERN ADVISED TO FOLLOW SMA TURNED BASE BUT ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER SMA.

Narrative: THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE WHILE I WAS IN THE TFC PATTERN OF CRQ. I RPTED DOWNWIND 24R ABEAM THE TWR AND WAS TOLD THAT I WAS #2 FOLLOWING THE SM ON RIGHT BASE. I RPTED THAT I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT. AFTER WATCHING THE SMA REACH SHORT FINAL, I BEGAN TO TURN TO RIGHT BASE. UPON REACHING THE POINT WHERE I WOULD START TO TURN RIGHT TO FINAL, I WAS LOOKING TO THE RIGHT TO ESTIMATE MY TURN TO FINAL AND LOOKING BACK TO THE FRONT I SAW AN SMA DIRECTLY AHEAD AND ABOVE ME THAT APPEARED TO BE ON FINAL APCH. AT THAT TIME I TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO THE RIGHT AND DSNDED 100' AND BEGAN TO RETURN TO THE DOWNWIND LEG. AFTER TAKING THE EVASIVE ACTION I CONTACTED THE TWR TO TRY AND FIND OUT WHERE THE OTHER SMA HAD COME FROM. THE TWR TOLD ME THAT WAS THE SMA I WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOLLOWING AND TO PROCEED DOWNWIND FOR RESEQUENCING BEHIND AN SMA THAT WAS THEN ON FINAL. I DID THIS AND THEN WAS CLRED TO LAND, WHICH I DID. AFTER THINKING ABOUT THIS INCIDENT, I AM NOT SURE IF I DID NOT HEAR THE TWR'S INITIAL INSTRUCTIONS TO ME CORRECTLY OR IF THE OTHER ACFT CAME INTO THE PATTERN FROM LEFT BASE. AS I RECALL, THERE WERE APPROX 5 OTHER ACFT IN VARIOUS STATES OF APCH TO THE ARPT AT THE TIME. THIS IS AN EXTREMELY BUSY ARPT AT TIMES AND ACFT ARE APCHING FROM VIRTUALLY EVERY ENTRY POINT AVAILABLE. I FEEL THAT FROM THIS TIME ON WHEN USING THIS ARPT I WILL REQUEST THE TWR TO CALL MY BASE TURN AT ALL TIMES.

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.