Narrative:

I was training a pre-solo student in the traffic pattern at ZZZ airport in a C152. Wind conditions were gusty and varying in direction; favoring runways xxr and xxl for short periods; then favoring runways yyl and yyr. At approximately XA40 local time; the tower controllers decided to change the landing direction from runways xxr and xxl to runways yyl and yyr. As we were about to turn right base for runway xxr; the tower controller instructed us to make a left 180 degree turn to a left downwind for runway yyl. We complied with the instruction! Once established on left downwind for runway yyl; another controller instructed us to make a left 180 degree turn. The controller had obviously used the wrong aircraft tail number. I informed the controller that we were now on a left downwind for runway yyl. She immediately apologized for the error. Immediately thereafter; we saw another aircraft headed straight for our aircraft; obviously on a right downwind for runway xxr. I took control and turned right. The other aircraft veered right and down; passing below and to our left. It appears that the tower controller had intended for the other aircraft to make 180 degree turn when she mistakenly used our tail number. Both aircraft narrowly missed having a midair collision. Supplemental information from acn 735561: aircraft X and aircraft Y were in right closed traffic; with 2 departures; and a seneca inbound from the south. Aircraft X went around due to winds and was instructed by the tower developmental trainee to remain in right closed traffic and their turn would be called for left traffic; runway yyl. Aircraft Y started to turn base and I instructed the tower trainee to turn him. He was told by the trainee to make left closed traffic for runway yyl. I waited until aircraft X was abeam the tower before I assumed control to make the announcement for the aircraft to make a 180 degree turn. Unfortunately; I called them aircraft Y rather than their proper call sign; aircraft X. I received no response from either plane. I made a second call to aircraft Y 'how do you hear' to which they replied 'was that for aircraft Y? We just made a 180.' my next call was 'aircraft X are you abeam the tower?' they replied; 'yes; aircraft X heading eastbound.' I said; 'aircraft Y traffic ahead; and to your left; cessna. Aircraft X traffic ahead and to your left opposite direction -- do you have him in sight?' they replied 'aircraft X; yes; we are turning right.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISTAKEN CALL SIGNS COUPLED WITH RWY AND PATTERN CHANGES AT ZZZ RESULT IN AN NMAC BETWEEN TWO TRAINING CESSNAS.

Narrative: I WAS TRAINING A PRE-SOLO STUDENT IN THE TFC PATTERN AT ZZZ ARPT IN A C152. WIND CONDITIONS WERE GUSTY AND VARYING IN DIRECTION; FAVORING RWYS XXR AND XXL FOR SHORT PERIODS; THEN FAVORING RWYS YYL AND YYR. AT APPROX XA40 LCL TIME; THE TWR CTLRS DECIDED TO CHANGE THE LNDG DIRECTION FROM RWYS XXR AND XXL TO RWYS YYL AND YYR. AS WE WERE ABOUT TO TURN R BASE FOR RWY XXR; THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A L 180 DEG TURN TO A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY YYL. WE COMPLIED WITH THE INSTRUCTION! ONCE ESTABLISHED ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY YYL; ANOTHER CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A L 180 DEG TURN. THE CTLR HAD OBVIOUSLY USED THE WRONG ACFT TAIL NUMBER. I INFORMED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE NOW ON A L DOWNWIND FOR RWY YYL. SHE IMMEDIATELY APOLOGIZED FOR THE ERROR. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER; WE SAW ANOTHER ACFT HEADED STRAIGHT FOR OUR ACFT; OBVIOUSLY ON A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY XXR. I TOOK CTL AND TURNED R. THE OTHER ACFT VEERED R AND DOWN; PASSING BELOW AND TO OUR L. IT APPEARS THAT THE TWR CTLR HAD INTENDED FOR THE OTHER ACFT TO MAKE 180 DEG TURN WHEN SHE MISTAKENLY USED OUR TAIL NUMBER. BOTH ACFT NARROWLY MISSED HAVING A MIDAIR COLLISION. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 735561: ACFT X AND ACFT Y WERE IN R CLOSED TFC; WITH 2 DEPS; AND A SENECA INBOUND FROM THE S. ACFT X WENT AROUND DUE TO WINDS AND WAS INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR DEVELOPMENTAL TRAINEE TO REMAIN IN R CLOSED TFC AND THEIR TURN WOULD BE CALLED FOR L TFC; RWY YYL. ACFT Y STARTED TO TURN BASE AND I INSTRUCTED THE TWR TRAINEE TO TURN HIM. HE WAS TOLD BY THE TRAINEE TO MAKE L CLOSED TFC FOR RWY YYL. I WAITED UNTIL ACFT X WAS ABEAM THE TWR BEFORE I ASSUMED CTL TO MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT FOR THE ACFT TO MAKE A 180 DEG TURN. UNFORTUNATELY; I CALLED THEM ACFT Y RATHER THAN THEIR PROPER CALL SIGN; ACFT X. I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE FROM EITHER PLANE. I MADE A SECOND CALL TO ACFT Y 'HOW DO YOU HEAR' TO WHICH THEY REPLIED 'WAS THAT FOR ACFT Y? WE JUST MADE A 180.' MY NEXT CALL WAS 'ACFT X ARE YOU ABEAM THE TWR?' THEY REPLIED; 'YES; ACFT X HDG EBOUND.' I SAID; 'ACFT Y TFC AHEAD; AND TO YOUR L; CESSNA. ACFT X TFC AHEAD AND TO YOUR L OPPOSITE DIRECTION -- DO YOU HAVE HIM IN SIGHT?' THEY REPLIED 'ACFT X; YES; WE ARE TURNING R.'

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.