Narrative:

After departing dpa to the north, we decided to come back to the airport due to deteriorating WX. When we were about 10 mi north we called dpa tower with intentions to come back to land. Tower cleared us to report 3 mi north for a left base for runway 15. While inbound we heard another aircraft cleared for a right base for runway 15. About 3 mi north of the airport the confusion began. Tower tried to warn us of the other traffic, we looked, but never verified. So I am guessing we were almost on parallel flight paths. But then dpa tower told us to turn west to avoid traffic, but the other traffic was to the west. Tower told us twice to turn west, but we then queried to turn east to avoid the traffic and then tower told us that is what they said to turn to. So we turned east and came back to land. How close our airplanes came is unknown, but we did take evasive action because we don't see the other aircraft. Contributing factors: deteriorating WX, pilot training in busy airspace, ATC vectoring, miscom. Although I realize how hard it is for ATC towers to estimate distance of aircraft but I think for this situation ATC could have cleared us or the other traffic for a 360 degree turn for spacing. But deteriorating WX (FYI, the field went IFR just after we landed, snow had just moved in). Also may have caused the controller to try and rush us both in. All in all, I don't believe we were close to a midair at all but this may help controllers and the clrncs they issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT RETURNING TO DPA ENTERING A L BASE HAVE A CLOSE CALL WITH AN SMA ACFT ON R BASE.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING DPA TO THE N, WE DECIDED TO COME BACK TO THE ARPT DUE TO DETERIORATING WX. WHEN WE WERE ABOUT 10 MI N WE CALLED DPA TWR WITH INTENTIONS TO COME BACK TO LAND. TWR CLRED US TO RPT 3 MI N FOR A L BASE FOR RWY 15. WHILE INBOUND WE HEARD ANOTHER ACFT CLRED FOR A R BASE FOR RWY 15. ABOUT 3 MI N OF THE ARPT THE CONFUSION BEGAN. TWR TRIED TO WARN US OF THE OTHER TFC, WE LOOKED, BUT NEVER VERIFIED. SO I AM GUESSING WE WERE ALMOST ON PARALLEL FLT PATHS. BUT THEN DPA TWR TOLD US TO TURN W TO AVOID TFC, BUT THE OTHER TFC WAS TO THE W. TWR TOLD US TWICE TO TURN W, BUT WE THEN QUERIED TO TURN E TO AVOID THE TFC AND THEN TWR TOLD US THAT IS WHAT THEY SAID TO TURN TO. SO WE TURNED E AND CAME BACK TO LAND. HOW CLOSE OUR AIRPLANES CAME IS UNKNOWN, BUT WE DID TAKE EVASIVE ACTION BECAUSE WE DON'T SEE THE OTHER ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DETERIORATING WX, PLT TRAINING IN BUSY AIRSPACE, ATC VECTORING, MISCOM. ALTHOUGH I REALIZE HOW HARD IT IS FOR ATC TWRS TO ESTIMATE DISTANCE OF ACFT BUT I THINK FOR THIS SIT ATC COULD HAVE CLRED US OR THE OTHER TFC FOR A 360 DEG TURN FOR SPACING. BUT DETERIORATING WX (FYI, THE FIELD WENT IFR JUST AFTER WE LANDED, SNOW HAD JUST MOVED IN). ALSO MAY HAVE CAUSED THE CTLR TO TRY AND RUSH US BOTH IN. ALL IN ALL, I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE CLOSE TO A MIDAIR AT ALL BUT THIS MAY HELP CTLRS AND THE CLRNCS THEY ISSUE.

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.