A C177RG (reporter) and a C172 in traffic pattern had near midair collision. ATCT local controller h...

Attributes
ACN	398681
Time
Date	199804
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cdw
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1200 msl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cdw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach other
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 4 flight time total : 425 flight time type : 125
ASRS Report	398681
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

On apr/sat/98, at XX45 am I was flying in the traffic pattern at cdw. This was a training flight with an instructor in a C177-rg (cardinal). I was downwind for runway 4 at 1200 ft when I called the tower to request a touch and go. The tower told me that I was #2 following a C172 below me at my 11 O'clock position on a base for runway 4. I replied negative traffic. My instructor and I looked for the traffic but could not find it. I notified the tower that we still did not have our traffic and the tower again told us that it was at our 11 O'clock position. Shortly after that we noticed a C172 pass in front of us about 100 ft above us and 200 ft in front of us. He was on a close base for runway 4 coming from our 2 O'clock position. This was our traffic and he was not at our 11 O'clock position as the tower indicated. After the C172 passed us the tower asked us to extend our downwind as we were faster than the C172. We extended the downwind and landed behind the C172 without any incident. The tower may have said 11 O'clock position by mistake but saw the traffic at our 2 O'clock position. If so, the tower should have asked the C172 to look for us or indicate if he had us in sight. I don't think he saw us and I do not remember him talking much on the radio. Based on his position and ours, I think the tower should have made us #1 for landing and asked the C172 to make a normal pattern entry behind us, not a base entry.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177RG (RPTR) AND A C172 IN TFC PATTERN HAD NMAC. ATCT LCL CTLR HAD POINTED OUT TFC TO RPTR TWICE, BUT NEITHER THE RPTR NOR HIS INSTRUCTOR SAW THE ACFT UNTIL VERY CLOSE. APPARENTLY THE OTHER ACFT NEVER SAW RPTR ACFT.

Narrative: ON APR/SAT/98, AT XX45 AM I WAS FLYING IN THE TFC PATTERN AT CDW. THIS WAS A TRAINING FLT WITH AN INSTRUCTOR IN A C177-RG (CARDINAL). I WAS DOWNWIND FOR RWY 4 AT 1200 FT WHEN I CALLED THE TWR TO REQUEST A TOUCH AND GO. THE TWR TOLD ME THAT I WAS #2 FOLLOWING A C172 BELOW ME AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS ON A BASE FOR RWY 4. I REPLIED NEGATIVE TFC. MY INSTRUCTOR AND I LOOKED FOR THE TFC BUT COULD NOT FIND IT. I NOTIFIED THE TWR THAT WE STILL DID NOT HAVE OUR TFC AND THE TWR AGAIN TOLD US THAT IT WAS AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS. SHORTLY AFTER THAT WE NOTICED A C172 PASS IN FRONT OF US ABOUT 100 FT ABOVE US AND 200 FT IN FRONT OF US. HE WAS ON A CLOSE BASE FOR RWY 4 COMING FROM OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. THIS WAS OUR TFC AND HE WAS NOT AT OUR 11 O'CLOCK POS AS THE TWR INDICATED. AFTER THE C172 PASSED US THE TWR ASKED US TO EXTEND OUR DOWNWIND AS WE WERE FASTER THAN THE C172. WE EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND AND LANDED BEHIND THE C172 WITHOUT ANY INCIDENT. THE TWR MAY HAVE SAID 11 O'CLOCK POS BY MISTAKE BUT SAW THE TFC AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. IF SO, THE TWR SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE C172 TO LOOK FOR US OR INDICATE IF HE HAD US IN SIGHT. I DON'T THINK HE SAW US AND I DO NOT REMEMBER HIM TALKING MUCH ON THE RADIO. BASED ON HIS POS AND OURS, I THINK THE TWR SHOULD HAVE MADE US #1 FOR LNDG AND ASKED THE C172 TO MAKE A NORMAL PATTERN ENTRY BEHIND US, NOT A BASE ENTRY.

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.

A C177RG (reporter) and a C172 in traffic pattern had near midair collision. ATCT local controller had pointed out traffic to reporter twice, but neither the reporter nor his instructor saw the aircraft until very close. Apparently the other aircraft never saw reporter aircraft.