Narrative:

Dual local private pilot training flight: I was the flight instructor conducting the flight and prior to takeoff ATIS was reporting a scattered layer at 2000 ft. Upon climb out from gfk; this scattered layer had turned to a broken ceiling. The deteriorating WX caused us to discontinue the flight to the practice area and practice traffic patterns and lndgs at gfk. Our aircraft was given runway 17R and told to make right closed traffic. The first 3 traffic patterns went as normal and separation from all other traffic was maintained. On our 4TH takeoff we climbed to 1300 ft MSL (500 ft AGL) and started a right crosswind turn once we started to roll wings level; tower stated keep the right turn to the north because we were cutting off traffic. I looked to my left (southwest) and saw an arrow on a right downwind for runway 17R. I took control of the aircraft and expedited our turn to the north. While our aircraft was on upwind I did not see any aircraft on downwind or entering the pattern and thought the area was clear. To my knowledge the only traffic alert that was issued to us for that arrow was the one telling us to keep our right turn in. Prior to this traffic alert; I did not receive nor verify any instruction to follow the arrow or extend my upwind in the pattern with ATC. I believe that this occurred due to the reduced visibility and lower ceilings which made it difficult to see the arrow on the white background; as well as ATC not communicating instructions effectively on how they wanted us to fly the traffic pattern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT INSTRUCTOR PLT DESCRIBED CONFLICT WHILE ON CROSSWIND AT GFK WITH TFC ENTERING PATTERN; INDICATING WX AND OR VISIBILITY CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT.

Narrative: DUAL LCL PVT PLT TRAINING FLT: I WAS THE FLT INSTRUCTOR CONDUCTING THE FLT AND PRIOR TO TKOF ATIS WAS RPTING A SCATTERED LAYER AT 2000 FT. UPON CLBOUT FROM GFK; THIS SCATTERED LAYER HAD TURNED TO A BROKEN CEILING. THE DETERIORATING WX CAUSED US TO DISCONTINUE THE FLT TO THE PRACTICE AREA AND PRACTICE TFC PATTERNS AND LNDGS AT GFK. OUR ACFT WAS GIVEN RWY 17R AND TOLD TO MAKE R CLOSED TFC. THE FIRST 3 TFC PATTERNS WENT AS NORMAL AND SEPARATION FROM ALL OTHER TFC WAS MAINTAINED. ON OUR 4TH TKOF WE CLBED TO 1300 FT MSL (500 FT AGL) AND STARTED A R XWIND TURN ONCE WE STARTED TO ROLL WINGS LEVEL; TWR STATED KEEP THE R TURN TO THE N BECAUSE WE WERE CUTTING OFF TFC. I LOOKED TO MY L (SW) AND SAW AN ARROW ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17R. I TOOK CTL OF THE ACFT AND EXPEDITED OUR TURN TO THE N. WHILE OUR ACFT WAS ON UPWIND I DID NOT SEE ANY ACFT ON DOWNWIND OR ENTERING THE PATTERN AND THOUGHT THE AREA WAS CLR. TO MY KNOWLEDGE THE ONLY TFC ALERT THAT WAS ISSUED TO US FOR THAT ARROW WAS THE ONE TELLING US TO KEEP OUR R TURN IN. PRIOR TO THIS TFC ALERT; I DID NOT RECEIVE NOR VERIFY ANY INSTRUCTION TO FOLLOW THE ARROW OR EXTEND MY UPWIND IN THE PATTERN WITH ATC. I BELIEVE THAT THIS OCCURRED DUE TO THE REDUCED VISIBILITY AND LOWER CEILINGS WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE THE ARROW ON THE WHITE BACKGROUND; AS WELL AS ATC NOT COMMUNICATING INSTRUCTIONS EFFECTIVELY ON HOW THEY WANTED US TO FLY THE TFC PATTERN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.