PA28 instructor was told to follow the second PA28 on downwind by the tower; when there were actuall...

Attributes
ACN	852250
Time
Date	200909
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	GFK.Airport
State Reference	ND
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Other Traffic Pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Initial Approach
Route In Use	Other Traffic Pattern
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Multiengine
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 70.4 Flight Crew Total 284.9 Flight Crew Type 138.4
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 200 Vertical 100

Narrative:

On upwind in the traffic pattern we were instructed to follow second warrior on downwind by the tower. First sighted was off our right wing and second was one mile behind the first. We reported to tower that the traffic was in sight and would follow as instructed. The traffic tower meant was beginning with the second warrior we had sighted and then the third behind it. This could have been from their sight as the correct order because the first warrior we saw; to them; may have already been behind us from their viewpoint. This caused a near miss when turning downwind with the third warrior. The third warrior was 100 ft below us according to asd radar in the tower and evasive action was taken on the downwind. There were three warriors on downwind; two of which tower believed to still be in front of us with the third behind. This is what led to the confusion as all three were still ahead and to the right on downwind when we followed the second one in sight. A clarification of 'traffic currently off right wing' or a more specific count of aircraft on the downwind may have helped in this situation. This would be similar to 'number two cleared stop and go' with the call of 'number four on downwind'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 Instructor was told to follow the second PA28 on downwind by the Tower; when there were actually three PA28's on downwind. This results in a NMAC with the third PA28.

Narrative: On upwind in the traffic pattern we were instructed to follow second Warrior on downwind by the Tower. First sighted was off our right wing and second was one mile behind the first. We reported to Tower that the traffic was in sight and would follow as instructed. The traffic Tower meant was beginning with the second Warrior we had sighted and then the third behind it. This could have been from their sight as the correct order because the first Warrior we saw; to them; may have already been behind us from their viewpoint. This caused a near miss when turning downwind with the third Warrior. The third Warrior was 100 FT below us according to ASD Radar in the tower and evasive action was taken on the downwind. There were three Warriors on downwind; two of which Tower believed to still be in front of us with the third behind. This is what led to the confusion as all three were still ahead and to the right on downwind when we followed the second one in sight. A clarification of 'Traffic currently off right wing' or a more specific count of aircraft on the downwind may have helped in this situation. This would be similar to 'number two cleared stop and go' with the call of 'number four on downwind'.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

PA28 instructor was told to follow the second PA28 on downwind by the tower; when there were actually three PA28's on downwind. This results in a near midair collision with the third PA28.