Narrative:

Small aircraft X was told to enter downwind and follow traffic turning crosswind. When 2 mi south of the airport, we acquired traffic and advised tower. Another aircraft immediately called tower, so we did not receive a response. Confident of our traffic, we followed them on a left downwind for runway 23. It became clear that they were either extending their downwind or departing the pattern to the east. I was about to ask ATC when the aircraft behind me asked if I was departing. The tower responded 'cessna traffic was departing to the east. Do not follow.' I was following the cessna traffic, so after first aircraft responded, I also acknowledged the message. I then looked for traffic on final and turned left base. I was instructing my student on how to do his first landing when the controller was replaced by a new voice who advised the aircraft behind me to do a 360 and re-enter base. The aircraft responded that he was not on base. ATC then asked 'aircraft on right base, say identify.' there was no reply. He repeated his request 2 more times. I then idented myself as being on left base. At about the same time, my student noticed another aircraft Y at our altitude coming at us on final. My first instinct was to turn, which was wrong because it brought us closer. I immediately realized my mistake and added power and climbed to pattern altitude. ATC instructed me to then enter a right downwind. Half of the tower controllers are 'new hires.' they were hired last june and have never had to deal with the university traffic. Because I not only have to instruct my student but watch for errors made by ATC, I am not trying to blame the whole event on the controller. I realize traffic avoidance is my responsibility and if I had not been so sure of the traffic situation and so intent on instructing my student, I may have seen the other traffic.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X HAD NMAC WITH Y IN TFC PATTERN. SEE AND AVOID CONCEPT. EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN.

Narrative: SMA X WAS TOLD TO ENTER DOWNWIND AND FOLLOW TFC TURNING XWIND. WHEN 2 MI S OF THE ARPT, WE ACQUIRED TFC AND ADVISED TWR. ANOTHER ACFT IMMEDIATELY CALLED TWR, SO WE DID NOT RECEIVE A RESPONSE. CONFIDENT OF OUR TFC, WE FOLLOWED THEM ON A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 23. IT BECAME CLR THAT THEY WERE EITHER EXTENDING THEIR DOWNWIND OR DEPARTING THE PATTERN TO THE E. I WAS ABOUT TO ASK ATC WHEN THE ACFT BEHIND ME ASKED IF I WAS DEPARTING. THE TWR RESPONDED 'CESSNA TFC WAS DEPARTING TO THE E. DO NOT FOLLOW.' I WAS FOLLOWING THE CESSNA TFC, SO AFTER FIRST ACFT RESPONDED, I ALSO ACKNOWLEDGED THE MESSAGE. I THEN LOOKED FOR TFC ON FINAL AND TURNED L BASE. I WAS INSTRUCTING MY STUDENT ON HOW TO DO HIS FIRST LNDG WHEN THE CTLR WAS REPLACED BY A NEW VOICE WHO ADVISED THE ACFT BEHIND ME TO DO A 360 AND RE-ENTER BASE. THE ACFT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS NOT ON BASE. ATC THEN ASKED 'ACFT ON R BASE, SAY IDENT.' THERE WAS NO REPLY. HE REPEATED HIS REQUEST 2 MORE TIMES. I THEN IDENTED MYSELF AS BEING ON L BASE. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, MY STUDENT NOTICED ANOTHER ACFT Y AT OUR ALT COMING AT US ON FINAL. MY FIRST INSTINCT WAS TO TURN, WHICH WAS WRONG BECAUSE IT BROUGHT US CLOSER. I IMMEDIATELY REALIZED MY MISTAKE AND ADDED PWR AND CLBED TO PATTERN ALT. ATC INSTRUCTED ME TO THEN ENTER A R DOWNWIND. HALF OF THE TWR CTLRS ARE 'NEW HIRES.' THEY WERE HIRED LAST JUNE AND HAVE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH THE UNIVERSITY TFC. BECAUSE I NOT ONLY HAVE TO INSTRUCT MY STUDENT BUT WATCH FOR ERRORS MADE BY ATC, I AM NOT TRYING TO BLAME THE WHOLE EVENT ON THE CTLR. I REALIZE TFC AVOIDANCE IS MY RESPONSIBILITY AND IF I HAD NOT BEEN SO SURE OF THE TFC SIT AND SO INTENT ON INSTRUCTING MY STUDENT, I MAY HAVE SEEN THE OTHER TFC.

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.