Small aircraft pilot has near midair collision with second small aircraft during prep for entering p...

Attributes
ACN	286902
Time
Date	199410
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : frg
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 122 flight time type : 122
ASRS Report	286902
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	other Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 100 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was coming back from pou from the north. The other plane (high wing cessna, sel) was coming from the south. ATC told me to fly south to southern state highway and then follow it into the airport (to head west parallel to the highway). (Southern state runs east/west just south of frg). ATC told the other plane (coming from south) to also follow southern state in. I arrived at southern state first and then turned west, following the highway. I was on the north side of the highway. The cessna was faster and started flying on the southern side of the highway, directly opposite of me. ATC repeatedly asked both planes whether we saw each other. I responded that I did. The cessna responded that he did not have me in sight (even though we were at the same exact altitude, and exactly parallel to each other). We were now approaching the point when we would have to enter the left downwind. Since I was closer to the airport (we would turn north to enter, and I was north of the cessna). I planned to turn first and the cessna would follow me. The cessna then was slightly ahead of me, but still parallel and on the opposite side of the highway. He then turned north to enter the left downwind, and at that exact moment, ATC told me to follow him. I immediately cut power and turned hard and south trying to cut behind him and inside of his turn. I did so and lost about 500 ft of altitude. I then completed a left 360, climbed back to 1100 ft, followed him and landed safely. I turned left because atl told me at that exact time to follow him, I was also afraid that turning right, he would collide into me. ATC should have told him to do a left 360 degree to get behind me, or told me to do right 360 degrees to get behind him (before it got this far). I should have requested a right 360 degree earlier when I realized he didn't see me. I just couldn't understand, being so close, how he couldn't have seen me. (Specially when he turned into me).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA PLT HAS NMAC WITH SECOND SMA DURING PREP FOR ENTERING PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS COMING BACK FROM POU FROM THE N. THE OTHER PLANE (HIGH WING CESSNA, SEL) WAS COMING FROM THE S. ATC TOLD ME TO FLY S TO SOUTHERN STATE HWY AND THEN FOLLOW IT INTO THE ARPT (TO HEAD W PARALLEL TO THE HWY). (SOUTHERN STATE RUNS E/W JUST S OF FRG). ATC TOLD THE OTHER PLANE (COMING FROM S) TO ALSO FOLLOW SOUTHERN STATE IN. I ARRIVED AT SOUTHERN STATE FIRST AND THEN TURNED W, FOLLOWING THE HWY. I WAS ON THE N SIDE OF THE HWY. THE CESSNA WAS FASTER AND STARTED FLYING ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF THE HWY, DIRECTLY OPPOSITE OF ME. ATC REPEATEDLY ASKED BOTH PLANES WHETHER WE SAW EACH OTHER. I RESPONDED THAT I DID. THE CESSNA RESPONDED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ME IN SIGHT (EVEN THOUGH WE WERE AT THE SAME EXACT ALT, AND EXACTLY PARALLEL TO EACH OTHER). WE WERE NOW APCHING THE POINT WHEN WE WOULD HAVE TO ENTER THE L DOWNWIND. SINCE I WAS CLOSER TO THE ARPT (WE WOULD TURN N TO ENTER, AND I WAS N OF THE CESSNA). I PLANNED TO TURN FIRST AND THE CESSNA WOULD FOLLOW ME. THE CESSNA THEN WAS SLIGHTLY AHEAD OF ME, BUT STILL PARALLEL AND ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE HWY. HE THEN TURNED N TO ENTER THE L DOWNWIND, AND AT THAT EXACT MOMENT, ATC TOLD ME TO FOLLOW HIM. I IMMEDIATELY CUT PWR AND TURNED HARD AND S TRYING TO CUT BEHIND HIM AND INSIDE OF HIS TURN. I DID SO AND LOST ABOUT 500 FT OF ALT. I THEN COMPLETED A L 360, CLBED BACK TO 1100 FT, FOLLOWED HIM AND LANDED SAFELY. I TURNED L BECAUSE ATL TOLD ME AT THAT EXACT TIME TO FOLLOW HIM, I WAS ALSO AFRAID THAT TURNING R, HE WOULD COLLIDE INTO ME. ATC SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM TO DO A L 360 DEG TO GET BEHIND ME, OR TOLD ME TO DO R 360 DEGS TO GET BEHIND HIM (BEFORE IT GOT THIS FAR). I SHOULD HAVE REQUESTED A R 360 DEG EARLIER WHEN I REALIZED HE DIDN'T SEE ME. I JUST COULDN'T UNDERSTAND, BEING SO CLOSE, HOW HE COULDN'T HAVE SEEN ME. (SPECIALLY WHEN HE TURNED INTO ME).

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.

Small aircraft pilot has near midair collision with second small aircraft during prep for entering pattern.