ATCT local controller got confused over what aircraft was in what position. Small aircraft pilot rep...

Attributes
ACN	382530
Time
Date	199710
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfb
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1100 msl bound upper : 1100
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfb tower : isp
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 58 flight time total : 198 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	382530
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Flying to sanford airport I reported 7 mi out to the northeast. Sanford tower instructed me to report over osteen bridge (about 3 mi northeast) for a left base for runway 9L. Did so over osteen. I was then told to look out for a seminole which was on crosswind and instructed to follow him. I replied that I had the seminole in sight and that I would follow him. Tower then started calling up all planes in the pattern for runway 9L and asking them to confirm their relative position in the pattern. For some reason tower assumed that I was still over osteen bridge and I corrected him and told him that I was abeam the tower. Tower responded by having all the planes in the pattern for runway 9L perform a right 360 degree turn. The seminole I was following was told to follow me and I was instructed to follow the cessna ahead. Here is where the confusion on my part started, since the only cessna I could see was on short final for runway 9L. Nevertheless I replied and complied by turning base for runway 9L. By this time the heavy (B767) which was also on final for runway 9L became visible (in my estimate he was on a 10 mi final). The seminole following me was so kind to query tower about my turning base. With a slightly high pitched voice tower told me to turn north now and to rejoin the pattern mid-field downwind. Having turned north I was now on a collision course with the seminole which was still flying westbound. The seminole avoided me by turning northwest, I continued out for a few mins and then proceeded eastward to rejoin the pattern mid-field. The tower instructed me then to follow the seminole off my left wing, 5 mi away. I replied that I was flying east and that there was no seminole off my left wing. The tower came back to me and told me to rejoin the pattern on the downwind for runway 9L. I landed safely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATCT LCL CTLR GOT CONFUSED OVER WHAT ACFT WAS IN WHAT POS. SMA PLT RPTR STATES HE FOLLOWED ALL DIRECTIONS GIVEN AND HE ALSO GOT CONFUSED. LCL CTLR FINALLY HAD THE RPTR GO N AND REJOIN THE TFC PATTERN. ALL ENDED WELL WITH A SAFE LNDG.

Narrative: FLYING TO SANFORD ARPT I RPTED 7 MI OUT TO THE NE. SANFORD TWR INSTRUCTED ME TO RPT OVER OSTEEN BRIDGE (ABOUT 3 MI NE) FOR A L BASE FOR RWY 9L. DID SO OVER OSTEEN. I WAS THEN TOLD TO LOOK OUT FOR A SEMINOLE WHICH WAS ON XWIND AND INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW HIM. I REPLIED THAT I HAD THE SEMINOLE IN SIGHT AND THAT I WOULD FOLLOW HIM. TWR THEN STARTED CALLING UP ALL PLANES IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 9L AND ASKING THEM TO CONFIRM THEIR RELATIVE POS IN THE PATTERN. FOR SOME REASON TWR ASSUMED THAT I WAS STILL OVER OSTEEN BRIDGE AND I CORRECTED HIM AND TOLD HIM THAT I WAS ABEAM THE TWR. TWR RESPONDED BY HAVING ALL THE PLANES IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 9L PERFORM A R 360 DEG TURN. THE SEMINOLE I WAS FOLLOWING WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW ME AND I WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA AHEAD. HERE IS WHERE THE CONFUSION ON MY PART STARTED, SINCE THE ONLY CESSNA I COULD SEE WAS ON SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 9L. NEVERTHELESS I REPLIED AND COMPLIED BY TURNING BASE FOR RWY 9L. BY THIS TIME THE HVY (B767) WHICH WAS ALSO ON FINAL FOR RWY 9L BECAME VISIBLE (IN MY ESTIMATE HE WAS ON A 10 MI FINAL). THE SEMINOLE FOLLOWING ME WAS SO KIND TO QUERY TWR ABOUT MY TURNING BASE. WITH A SLIGHTLY HIGH PITCHED VOICE TWR TOLD ME TO TURN N NOW AND TO REJOIN THE PATTERN MID-FIELD DOWNWIND. HAVING TURNED N I WAS NOW ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH THE SEMINOLE WHICH WAS STILL FLYING WESTBOUND. THE SEMINOLE AVOIDED ME BY TURNING NW, I CONTINUED OUT FOR A FEW MINS AND THEN PROCEEDED EASTWARD TO REJOIN THE PATTERN MID-FIELD. THE TWR INSTRUCTED ME THEN TO FOLLOW THE SEMINOLE OFF MY L WING, 5 MI AWAY. I REPLIED THAT I WAS FLYING E AND THAT THERE WAS NO SEMINOLE OFF MY L WING. THE TWR CAME BACK TO ME AND TOLD ME TO REJOIN THE PATTERN ON THE DOWNWIND FOR RWY 9L. I LANDED SAFELY.

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.

ATCT local controller got confused over what aircraft was in what position. Small aircraft pilot reporter states he followed all directions given and he also got confused. Local controller finally had the reporter go north and rejoin the traffic pattern. All ended well with a safe landing.