An small aircraft pilot followed the wrong small aircraft in a controled traffic pattern causing a l...

Attributes
ACN	255851
Time
Date	199311
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ccr
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 700 agl bound upper : 700
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : ccr
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8 flight time total : 329 flight time type : 31
ASRS Report	255851
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 150
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had completed 2 touch and go lndgs at ccr and was proceeding in right closed traffic for runway 32. Horizontal visibility making it difficult to see other traffic in the pattern (especially at same altitude). Tower informed me I was #3 behind an small aircraft type a. When I observed an small aircraft type a (after the fact -- must have been #1) pass by my wing on final, I turned base. When I stabilized on base, I observed another small aircraft type a on my left side on final. I first thought it was cleared for the left runway, so I steepened my bank and started to climb out to go around. At that point, the other aircraft reported it had been cut off by my aircraft. The tower immediately cleared me for landing on 32R, and the other aircraft for landing on 32L. I re-entered final approach (having earlier commenced a climb out) and using a steep approach angle (slipping the aircraft, I made an uneventful landing). Cause of incident is believed to be a combination of haze and number of aircraft in the traffic pattern causing difficulty for me to locate and track other aircraft in the pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT FOLLOWED THE WRONG SMA IN A CTLED TFC PATTERN CAUSING A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: I HAD COMPLETED 2 TOUCH AND GO LNDGS AT CCR AND WAS PROCEEDING IN R CLOSED TFC FOR RWY 32. HORIZ VISIBILITY MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE OTHER TFC IN THE PATTERN (ESPECIALLY AT SAME ALT). TWR INFORMED ME I WAS #3 BEHIND AN SMA TYPE A. WHEN I OBSERVED AN SMA TYPE A (AFTER THE FACT -- MUST HAVE BEEN #1) PASS BY MY WING ON FINAL, I TURNED BASE. WHEN I STABILIZED ON BASE, I OBSERVED ANOTHER SMA TYPE A ON MY L SIDE ON FINAL. I FIRST THOUGHT IT WAS CLRED FOR THE L RWY, SO I STEEPENED MY BANK AND STARTED TO CLB OUT TO GAR. AT THAT POINT, THE OTHER ACFT RPTED IT HAD BEEN CUT OFF BY MY ACFT. THE TWR IMMEDIATELY CLRED ME FOR LNDG ON 32R, AND THE OTHER ACFT FOR LNDG ON 32L. I RE-ENTERED FINAL APCH (HAVING EARLIER COMMENCED A CLBOUT) AND USING A STEEP APCH ANGLE (SLIPPING THE ACFT, I MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG). CAUSE OF INCIDENT IS BELIEVED TO BE A COMBINATION OF HAZE AND NUMBER OF ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN CAUSING DIFFICULTY FOR ME TO LOCATE AND TRACK OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN.

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.

An small aircraft pilot followed the wrong small aircraft in a controled traffic pattern causing a loss of separation.