Narrative:

The backgnd/situation: I was right seat acting as CFI for a rated private pilot on a local flight for her currency/proficiency. There were at least 2 other training airplanes in the pattern at the time which is typical at this airport (bed). We were right downwind for runway 29 and instructed to extend the downwind for traffic. We were then instructed to follow cessna traffic turning onto a left base. We were to be #3 behind the cessna. The pilot picked up the base traffic when we were approximately 4 mi out. I saw the traffic when it was on final. The pilot maneuvered onto final behind the #2 traffic. Pilot was properly slow (65 KTS) to maintain spacing behind the cessna. Because I did not see the traffic we were to follow on base; I asked the pilot if she was sure of our sequence. The pilot then queried the tower if we were in the correct position. The tower responded with in the affirmative. I felt comfortable at this point that the approach was normal. The problem: an airplane then passed us on final about 500 ft to our right and about 150 ft above us. Its speed was approximately 30-40 KTS faster than us. I then heard on the frequency for the first time; I think; the tbm querying tower about the traffic it was supposed to follow. Corrective action: my pilot quickly asked the local controller what traffic we were to be following. The controller seemed somewhat resigned to the situation and to the best of my recollection said something about it being rather jumbled out there on final. The tbm was instructed to follow the cessna and we were told to follow the tbm. My performance: I religiously look out on the final approach path and check that it is clear before the base to final turn even at towered airports. This time I didn't do that. We were so far out on extended downwind and focused on identing the traffic in front of us that we were to follow that it did not occur to me. I may not have seen it anyway; but it bugs me that I forgot to follow my own procedure. I will not forget to clear the final even at controled airports again. This had midair potential through no fault of our own.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT AND FLT INSTRUCTOR HAVE CLOSE ENCOUNTER WITH OVERTAKING TBM ACFT ON FINAL APCH TO A BUSY ARPT.

Narrative: THE BACKGND/SIT: I WAS R SEAT ACTING AS CFI FOR A RATED PVT PLT ON A LCL FLT FOR HER CURRENCY/PROFICIENCY. THERE WERE AT LEAST 2 OTHER TRAINING AIRPLANES IN THE PATTERN AT THE TIME WHICH IS TYPICAL AT THIS ARPT (BED). WE WERE R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 29 AND INSTRUCTED TO EXTEND THE DOWNWIND FOR TFC. WE WERE THEN INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW CESSNA TFC TURNING ONTO A L BASE. WE WERE TO BE #3 BEHIND THE CESSNA. THE PLT PICKED UP THE BASE TFC WHEN WE WERE APPROX 4 MI OUT. I SAW THE TFC WHEN IT WAS ON FINAL. THE PLT MANEUVERED ONTO FINAL BEHIND THE #2 TFC. PLT WAS PROPERLY SLOW (65 KTS) TO MAINTAIN SPACING BEHIND THE CESSNA. BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE THE TFC WE WERE TO FOLLOW ON BASE; I ASKED THE PLT IF SHE WAS SURE OF OUR SEQUENCE. THE PLT THEN QUERIED THE TWR IF WE WERE IN THE CORRECT POS. THE TWR RESPONDED WITH IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. I FELT COMFORTABLE AT THIS POINT THAT THE APCH WAS NORMAL. THE PROB: AN AIRPLANE THEN PASSED US ON FINAL ABOUT 500 FT TO OUR R AND ABOUT 150 FT ABOVE US. ITS SPD WAS APPROX 30-40 KTS FASTER THAN US. I THEN HEARD ON THE FREQ FOR THE FIRST TIME; I THINK; THE TBM QUERYING TWR ABOUT THE TFC IT WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW. CORRECTIVE ACTION: MY PLT QUICKLY ASKED THE LCL CTLR WHAT TFC WE WERE TO BE FOLLOWING. THE CTLR SEEMED SOMEWHAT RESIGNED TO THE SITUATION AND TO THE BEST OF MY RECOLLECTION SAID SOMETHING ABOUT IT BEING RATHER JUMBLED OUT THERE ON FINAL. THE TBM WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW THE CESSNA AND WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW THE TBM. MY PERFORMANCE: I RELIGIOUSLY LOOK OUT ON THE FINAL APCH PATH AND CHK THAT IT IS CLR BEFORE THE BASE TO FINAL TURN EVEN AT TOWERED ARPTS. THIS TIME I DIDN'T DO THAT. WE WERE SO FAR OUT ON EXTENDED DOWNWIND AND FOCUSED ON IDENTING THE TFC IN FRONT OF US THAT WE WERE TO FOLLOW THAT IT DID NOT OCCUR TO ME. I MAY NOT HAVE SEEN IT ANYWAY; BUT IT BUGS ME THAT I FORGOT TO FOLLOW MY OWN PROC. I WILL NOT FORGET TO CLR THE FINAL EVEN AT CTLED ARPTS AGAIN. THIS HAD MIDAIR POTENTIAL THROUGH NO FAULT OF OUR OWN.

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.