Narrative:

While about 15 mi from airport, listened to ATIS and tower traffic. Pattern was congested, so on initial contact, requested a couple of 360 degrees turns, 5 mi south to allow traffic to clear. It was my impression the tower operator was a little 'behind' what was happening. After a couple of turns, requested to turn inbound for touch-and-go's. I believe it was on my second pattern, I reported downwind abeam the tower. Tower responded with #2 follow the small aircraft on final. After turning base, tower called traffic ahead, 12 O'clock. Since I did not have the traffic, I initiated a right sbound turn and called the turn. Immediately afterwards, the landing airplane called he was turning also for traffic avoidance. I never saw the other plane until he initiated his turn. It seemed like he was right on top of me (very, very close). I estimate we were within 500 ft of each other at the same altitude. After turning the other plane, completed a normal landing and I did a final touch-and-go before returning to home base. I think this incident was caused by my inattn to which airplane I was supposed to follow, low visibility -- 3 mi haze, lack of strobes -- bright position lights on the other aircraft, and tower operator failing to adequately control traffic flow. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states he was told he was #2 when he was apparently #3 in the pattern for landing. He had sighted traffic on final and turned base only to confront the #2 aircraft. Ral is a training tower and reporter believes controller was a trainee who got in deep without supervisor interceding. Nothing further had been said. The proximity really scared him!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA HAS NMAC IN TFC PATTERN AT TWR CTLED ARPT.

Narrative: WHILE ABOUT 15 MI FROM ARPT, LISTENED TO ATIS AND TWR TFC. PATTERN WAS CONGESTED, SO ON INITIAL CONTACT, REQUESTED A COUPLE OF 360 DEGS TURNS, 5 MI S TO ALLOW TFC TO CLR. IT WAS MY IMPRESSION THE TWR OPERATOR WAS A LITTLE 'BEHIND' WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AFTER A COUPLE OF TURNS, REQUESTED TO TURN INBOUND FOR TOUCH-AND-GO'S. I BELIEVE IT WAS ON MY SECOND PATTERN, I RPTED DOWNWIND ABEAM THE TWR. TWR RESPONDED WITH #2 FOLLOW THE SMA ON FINAL. AFTER TURNING BASE, TWR CALLED TFC AHEAD, 12 O'CLOCK. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE TFC, I INITIATED A R SBOUND TURN AND CALLED THE TURN. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, THE LNDG AIRPLANE CALLED HE WAS TURNING ALSO FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. I NEVER SAW THE OTHER PLANE UNTIL HE INITIATED HIS TURN. IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF ME (VERY, VERY CLOSE). I ESTIMATE WE WERE WITHIN 500 FT OF EACH OTHER AT THE SAME ALT. AFTER TURNING THE OTHER PLANE, COMPLETED A NORMAL LNDG AND I DID A FINAL TOUCH-AND-GO BEFORE RETURNING TO HOME BASE. I THINK THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY MY INATTN TO WHICH AIRPLANE I WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW, LOW VISIBILITY -- 3 MI HAZE, LACK OF STROBES -- BRIGHT POS LIGHTS ON THE OTHER ACFT, AND TWR OPERATOR FAILING TO ADEQUATELY CTL TFC FLOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE WAS TOLD HE WAS #2 WHEN HE WAS APPARENTLY #3 IN THE PATTERN FOR LNDG. HE HAD SIGHTED TFC ON FINAL AND TURNED BASE ONLY TO CONFRONT THE #2 ACFT. RAL IS A TRAINING TWR AND RPTR BELIEVES CTLR WAS A TRAINEE WHO GOT IN DEEP WITHOUT SUPVR INTERCEDING. NOTHING FURTHER HAD BEEN SAID. THE PROX REALLY SCARED HIM!

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.