Narrative:

There were 6 aircraft in the pattern for runway 7R and the local controller was working only runway 7R. We were forced to extend our upwind by approximately 1.5 mi to follow 2 other aircraft. While discussing the short field landing procedure; and shortly after turning downwind we noticed a C172 converging on us at the same altitude. I am a CFI student; and my instructor and I simultaneously pitched up to approximately 15 degrees nose up with maximum power. The other aircraft appeared to not change its flight path at all. Within 1 second of the aircraft passing below us; the controller issued a traffic alert to the other aircraft. There was no radio call from the controller instructing the converging aircraft to follow us or extend his upwind before the conflict. I believe that there were several contributing factors to this near midair collision. First; my instructor and I were distraction while going over the short field landing procedure and were fortunate that he happened to notice the converging aircraft. However; we should have been vigilant of the other aircraft in the traffic pattern as required by far's. Second; dab tower has procedures in place for aircraft in the pattern on runway 7R to squawk standby in the pattern. This may not be the best procedure for an extremely congested flight training airport. The controller cannot see his aircraft on radar; and our adsb equipment will not detect non company aircraft whose xponders are not on. Also; as far as I can tell; the tower controller did not issue any instructions to myself or the converging aircraft. In fact; the pilot of the converging aircraft inquired to the controller if he had inadvertently missed a radio call. The controller would only answer with follow the skyhawk on downwind. For several mins after the event; the controller seemed to become very flustered and even confused at the position of aircraft in the traffic pattern while there was much discussion and laughter in the background of his radio calls. Third; the pilot of the converging aircraft; like my instructor and I; should have been vigilant of other aircraft in the pattern before making the turn to his crosswind leg.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C172 STUDENT PILOT WITH INSTRUCTOR REPORTS NMAC WITH ANOTHER C172 IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT DAB.

Narrative: THERE WERE 6 ACFT IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 7R AND THE LCL CTLR WAS WORKING ONLY RWY 7R. WE WERE FORCED TO EXTEND OUR UPWIND BY APPROX 1.5 MI TO FOLLOW 2 OTHER ACFT. WHILE DISCUSSING THE SHORT FIELD LNDG PROC; AND SHORTLY AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND WE NOTICED A C172 CONVERGING ON US AT THE SAME ALT. I AM A CFI STUDENT; AND MY INSTRUCTOR AND I SIMULTANEOUSLY PITCHED UP TO APPROX 15 DEGS NOSE UP WITH MAX PWR. THE OTHER ACFT APPEARED TO NOT CHANGE ITS FLT PATH AT ALL. WITHIN 1 SECOND OF THE ACFT PASSING BELOW US; THE CTLR ISSUED A TFC ALERT TO THE OTHER ACFT. THERE WAS NO RADIO CALL FROM THE CTLR INSTRUCTING THE CONVERGING ACFT TO FOLLOW US OR EXTEND HIS UPWIND BEFORE THE CONFLICT. I BELIEVE THAT THERE WERE SEVERAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS NMAC. FIRST; MY INSTRUCTOR AND I WERE DISTR WHILE GOING OVER THE SHORT FIELD LNDG PROC AND WERE FORTUNATE THAT HE HAPPENED TO NOTICE THE CONVERGING ACFT. HOWEVER; WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN VIGILANT OF THE OTHER ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN AS REQUIRED BY FAR'S. SECOND; DAB TWR HAS PROCS IN PLACE FOR ACFT IN THE PATTERN ON RWY 7R TO SQUAWK STANDBY IN THE PATTERN. THIS MAY NOT BE THE BEST PROC FOR AN EXTREMELY CONGESTED FLT TRAINING ARPT. THE CTLR CANNOT SEE HIS ACFT ON RADAR; AND OUR ADSB EQUIP WILL NOT DETECT NON COMPANY ACFT WHOSE XPONDERS ARE NOT ON. ALSO; AS FAR AS I CAN TELL; THE TWR CTLR DID NOT ISSUE ANY INSTRUCTIONS TO MYSELF OR THE CONVERGING ACFT. IN FACT; THE PLT OF THE CONVERGING ACFT INQUIRED TO THE CTLR IF HE HAD INADVERTENTLY MISSED A RADIO CALL. THE CTLR WOULD ONLY ANSWER WITH FOLLOW THE SKYHAWK ON DOWNWIND. FOR SEVERAL MINS AFTER THE EVENT; THE CTLR SEEMED TO BECOME VERY FLUSTERED AND EVEN CONFUSED AT THE POS OF ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN WHILE THERE WAS MUCH DISCUSSION AND LAUGHTER IN THE BACKGROUND OF HIS RADIO CALLS. THIRD; THE PLT OF THE CONVERGING ACFT; LIKE MY INSTRUCTOR AND I; SHOULD HAVE BEEN VIGILANT OF OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN BEFORE MAKING THE TURN TO HIS XWIND LEG.

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.