C172 instructor and student had a conflict with another C172 in the pattern at cos.

Attributes
ACN	529486
Time
Date	200111
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : brk.vortac
State Reference	CO
Altitude	agl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : cos.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cos.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 640 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	529486
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

My student and I had come in for a touch and go on runway 17R and proceeded on upwind. We had not received any instructions on which traffic to make, so I asked and was told to make right traffic. While on downwind abeam the numbers, I saw 2 aircraft on final and heard a third on the opposite downwind. I was not instructed to extend downwind so I proceeded on to base at the appropriate time. I found out that we had proceeded in front of another aircraft when she called me in sight and asked if she was supposed to follow me. I believe that there were a few contributing factors in this incident. One was that there were a lot of aircraft in the pattern with similar call signs. Another was that the controller was not clear about which aircraft or how many we were supposed to give way to. The controller sounded stressed even before this and had been snippy with some of the aircraft, this could have affected his ability to concentrate on providing adequate separation. As PIC, I should have continued on downwind until I was cleared to turn, or at least until he said something to me. I think that he should have made it clear to each aircraft which one they were following. There was no communication between the control tower and my aircraft from upwind when I initiated it all the way until final.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT HAD A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER C172 IN THE PATTERN AT COS.

Narrative: MY STUDENT AND I HAD COME IN FOR A TOUCH AND GO ON RWY 17R AND PROCEEDED ON UPWIND. WE HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY INSTRUCTIONS ON WHICH TFC TO MAKE, SO I ASKED AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE R TFC. WHILE ON DOWNWIND ABEAM THE NUMBERS, I SAW 2 ACFT ON FINAL AND HEARD A THIRD ON THE OPPOSITE DOWNWIND. I WAS NOT INSTRUCTED TO EXTEND DOWNWIND SO I PROCEEDED ON TO BASE AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. I FOUND OUT THAT WE HAD PROCEEDED IN FRONT OF ANOTHER ACFT WHEN SHE CALLED ME IN SIGHT AND ASKED IF SHE WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW ME. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE A FEW CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THIS INCIDENT. ONE WAS THAT THERE WERE A LOT OF ACFT IN THE PATTERN WITH SIMILAR CALL SIGNS. ANOTHER WAS THAT THE CTLR WAS NOT CLR ABOUT WHICH ACFT OR HOW MANY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO GIVE WAY TO. THE CTLR SOUNDED STRESSED EVEN BEFORE THIS AND HAD BEEN SNIPPY WITH SOME OF THE ACFT, THIS COULD HAVE AFFECTED HIS ABILITY TO CONCENTRATE ON PROVIDING ADEQUATE SEPARATION. AS PIC, I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED ON DOWNWIND UNTIL I WAS CLRED TO TURN, OR AT LEAST UNTIL HE SAID SOMETHING TO ME. I THINK THAT HE SHOULD HAVE MADE IT CLR TO EACH ACFT WHICH ONE THEY WERE FOLLOWING. THERE WAS NO COM BTWN THE CTL TWR AND MY ACFT FROM UPWIND WHEN I INITIATED IT ALL THE WAY UNTIL FINAL.

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.