Near midair collision or near formation flight.

Attributes
ACN	276684
Time
Date	199407
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1100 agl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : frg
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 360 flight time type : 360
ASRS Report	276684
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 350 vertical : 350
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had called frg tower and had been assigned a 'straight in' approach to runway 32. I was instructed to call the tower when 8 mi from the runway. Approximately 2-3 min after my call, I heard a second piper cherokee call frg, report a position close to mine and be given a 'straight in' approach to runway 32, again requesting he call when 8 mi from runway. I began an intensive scan of the area. No aircraft sighted. The tower became concerned and asked the second aircraft to be more precise about its location. He reported a position quite close to mine. The tower asked me if I had the second aircraft in sight, and just as they did so, I acquired the aircraft visually, above and to my left. It was close enough for me to read its numbers. The tower requested I make a 360 to my left. I asked for a right 360 degree to avoid turning 'into' conflicting traffic. My right turn was approved, and I fell into line behind the aircraft. I landed without incident. Of note, was the following sequence: the tower, told me that my return was 'weak,' they did not specify whether or not my transponder was working. I offered to 'recycle' the transponder and did so, placing it into standby, then again into altitude mode. The tower again said the return was weak. However approximately 30 seconds after my recycle, the tower reported receiving a stronger signal. My transponder light was indicating that my aircraft was being interrogated, so I believe it was operating properly. The tower uses a 'slaved' radar return from isp. Could the 2 targets have been close enough to confuse the radar? Frg is an extremely busy airport (3RD busiest in nys).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC OR NEAR FORMATION FLT.

Narrative: I HAD CALLED FRG TWR AND HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A 'STRAIGHT IN' APCH TO RWY 32. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE TWR WHEN 8 MI FROM THE RWY. APPROX 2-3 MIN AFTER MY CALL, I HEARD A SECOND PIPER CHEROKEE CALL FRG, RPT A POS CLOSE TO MINE AND BE GIVEN A 'STRAIGHT IN' APCH TO RWY 32, AGAIN REQUESTING HE CALL WHEN 8 MI FROM RWY. I BEGAN AN INTENSIVE SCAN OF THE AREA. NO ACFT SIGHTED. THE TWR BECAME CONCERNED AND ASKED THE SECOND ACFT TO BE MORE PRECISE ABOUT ITS LOCATION. HE RPTED A POS QUITE CLOSE TO MINE. THE TWR ASKED ME IF I HAD THE SECOND ACFT IN SIGHT, AND JUST AS THEY DID SO, I ACQUIRED THE ACFT VISUALLY, ABOVE AND TO MY L. IT WAS CLOSE ENOUGH FOR ME TO READ ITS NUMBERS. THE TWR REQUESTED I MAKE A 360 TO MY L. I ASKED FOR A R 360 DEG TO AVOID TURNING 'INTO' CONFLICTING TFC. MY R TURN WAS APPROVED, AND I FELL INTO LINE BEHIND THE ACFT. I LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. OF NOTE, WAS THE FOLLOWING SEQUENCE: THE TWR, TOLD ME THAT MY RETURN WAS 'WEAK,' THEY DID NOT SPECIFY WHETHER OR NOT MY XPONDER WAS WORKING. I OFFERED TO 'RECYCLE' THE XPONDER AND DID SO, PLACING IT INTO STANDBY, THEN AGAIN INTO ALT MODE. THE TWR AGAIN SAID THE RETURN WAS WEAK. HOWEVER APPROX 30 SECONDS AFTER MY RECYCLE, THE TWR RPTED RECEIVING A STRONGER SIGNAL. MY XPONDER LIGHT WAS INDICATING THAT MY ACFT WAS BEING INTERROGATED, SO I BELIEVE IT WAS OPERATING PROPERLY. THE TWR USES A 'SLAVED' RADAR RETURN FROM ISP. COULD THE 2 TARGETS HAVE BEEN CLOSE ENOUGH TO CONFUSE THE RADAR? FRG IS AN EXTREMELY BUSY ARPT (3RD BUSIEST IN NYS).

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.