A single engine pilot reports a near midair collision at gnv with traffic that he failed to identify...

Attributes
ACN	810937
Time
Date	200811
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gnv.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gnv.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft Low Wing 1 Eng Fixed Gear
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 160 flight time type : 160
ASRS Report	810937
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : became reoriented
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I approached gnv from the south; contacted tower 15 NM out and was asked to report left base for runway 29. About 7 NM left base tower asks me to follow traffic ahead; which I report having in sight. Unknown to me at the time; the traffic I have in sight and start to ensure proper separation from is not the plane tower intended me to follow (the intended traffic was further to the east). I continued to fly left base; keeping the traffic ahead in my scan; and hear tower clear a plane to land as #1 and then clears me to land as #2. Since the plane ahead of me is now on short final; and tower just told me that I am #2; I assume that everything is in order. Just about as I am preparing to turn final the plane on short final executes a missed approach; and I start having some misgivings. Tower radios me to reconfirm that I am following the traffic on final; and I report that I was following the traffic that just went missed. Tower informs me that I am following the wrong traffic; I immediately climb and drop my right wing to try to spot the other traffic. As I bank I see the conflicting traffic pass below me; distance unknown but uncomfortably close. The conflicting traffic reports to tower that he just had a plane pass above him. Tower confirms it was me and we have a brief exchange about the importance of following the proper traffic. Tower clears me to land again and I have an uneventful landing. Contributing factors: 1) I don't recall tower stating that there would be 2 planes ahead of me when requesting that I follow traffic. Since I already had 1 plane in sight before receiving the request; I therefore focused on tracking it and likely reduced my scan. 2) when issuing my landing clearance; if tower would have reported that I was #2 to land but #3 on the approach; I would have discovered my error much sooner. 3) my airplane's TAS system (L3 skywatch) never showed the conflicting traffic; so either it was in a blind spot or had an inactive transponder. Conclusion: never stop keeping your scan up; and question tower on the number on planes ahead in the pattern if not announced.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A SINGLE ENGINE PILOT REPORTS A NMAC AT GNV WITH TRAFFIC THAT HE FAILED TO IDENTIFY AS ATC ASSIGNED PRECEDING TRAFFIC BECAUSE HE THOUGHT ATC IDENTIFIED THIRD AIRCRAFT ON SHORT FINAL WAS NUMBER ONE AND HE WAS THEREFORE NUMBER TWO.

Narrative: I APCHED GNV FROM THE S; CONTACTED TWR 15 NM OUT AND WAS ASKED TO RPT L BASE FOR RWY 29. ABOUT 7 NM L BASE TWR ASKS ME TO FOLLOW TFC AHEAD; WHICH I RPT HAVING IN SIGHT. UNKNOWN TO ME AT THE TIME; THE TFC I HAVE IN SIGHT AND START TO ENSURE PROPER SEPARATION FROM IS NOT THE PLANE TWR INTENDED ME TO FOLLOW (THE INTENDED TFC WAS FURTHER TO THE E). I CONTINUED TO FLY L BASE; KEEPING THE TFC AHEAD IN MY SCAN; AND HEAR TWR CLR A PLANE TO LAND AS #1 AND THEN CLRS ME TO LAND AS #2. SINCE THE PLANE AHEAD OF ME IS NOW ON SHORT FINAL; AND TWR JUST TOLD ME THAT I AM #2; I ASSUME THAT EVERYTHING IS IN ORDER. JUST ABOUT AS I AM PREPARING TO TURN FINAL THE PLANE ON SHORT FINAL EXECUTES A MISSED APCH; AND I START HAVING SOME MISGIVINGS. TWR RADIOS ME TO RECONFIRM THAT I AM FOLLOWING THE TFC ON FINAL; AND I RPT THAT I WAS FOLLOWING THE TFC THAT JUST WENT MISSED. TWR INFORMS ME THAT I AM FOLLOWING THE WRONG TFC; I IMMEDIATELY CLB AND DROP MY R WING TO TRY TO SPOT THE OTHER TFC. AS I BANK I SEE THE CONFLICTING TFC PASS BELOW ME; DISTANCE UNKNOWN BUT UNCOMFORTABLY CLOSE. THE CONFLICTING TFC RPTS TO TWR THAT HE JUST HAD A PLANE PASS ABOVE HIM. TWR CONFIRMS IT WAS ME AND WE HAVE A BRIEF EXCHANGE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF FOLLOWING THE PROPER TFC. TWR CLRS ME TO LAND AGAIN AND I HAVE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) I DON'T RECALL TWR STATING THAT THERE WOULD BE 2 PLANES AHEAD OF ME WHEN REQUESTING THAT I FOLLOW TFC. SINCE I ALREADY HAD 1 PLANE IN SIGHT BEFORE RECEIVING THE REQUEST; I THEREFORE FOCUSED ON TRACKING IT AND LIKELY REDUCED MY SCAN. 2) WHEN ISSUING MY LNDG CLRNC; IF TWR WOULD HAVE RPTED THAT I WAS #2 TO LAND BUT #3 ON THE APCH; I WOULD HAVE DISCOVERED MY ERROR MUCH SOONER. 3) MY AIRPLANE'S TAS SYS (L3 SKYWATCH) NEVER SHOWED THE CONFLICTING TFC; SO EITHER IT WAS IN A BLIND SPOT OR HAD AN INACTIVE TRANSPONDER. CONCLUSION: NEVER STOP KEEPING YOUR SCAN UP; AND QUESTION TWR ON THE NUMBER ON PLANES AHEAD IN THE PATTERN IF NOT ANNOUNCED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.

A single engine pilot reports a near midair collision at gnv with traffic that he failed to identify as ATC assigned preceding traffic because he thought ATC identified third aircraft on short final was number one and he was therefore number two.