After misidentifying traffic pointed out by the tower; a PA28 instructor and student pilot suffered ...

Attributes
ACN	913074
Time
Date	201010
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	Landing
Route In Use	None
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Flight Phase	Landing
Person 1
Function	Instructor
Qualification	Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor Flight Crew Commercial
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 125 Flight Crew Total 1160 Flight Crew Type 500
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Horizontal 300 Vertical 0

Narrative:

With runway 27L in use; we entered the pattern [and] we were instructed to fly westbound. While westbound outside the pattern ATC instructed us to follow the skyhawk ahead and to our right on downwind. There was a skyhawk nearly abeam us and to the right; so I assumed that was the traffic we were to follow. However; there was an additional skyhawk which ATC was referencing. After we began turning toward the downwind; ATC told us to turn left immediately. I took control of the airplane and maneuvered back to downwind. I couldn't accurately state how close we were to the other traffic but it was certainly what I would consider a near miss.one contributing factor was instructor fatigue. This flight was the last of four activities of the day and my level of alertness and judgment was lower than if it were the first flight of the day. Additionally; after the ATC instruction; I found what I thought was my traffic but did not double check as I normally would. Another contributing factor is a limitation of the airplane we were flying. As we began the turn into the pattern; the conflicting traffic was obstructed by the wing; limiting our ability to see and avoid.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: After misidentifying traffic pointed out by the tower; a PA28 Instructor and Student Pilot suffered an NMAC with a C172 while entering the pattern.

Narrative: With Runway 27L in use; we entered the pattern [and] we were instructed to fly westbound. While westbound outside the pattern ATC instructed us to follow the Skyhawk ahead and to our right on downwind. There was a Skyhawk nearly abeam us and to the right; so I assumed that was the traffic we were to follow. However; there was an additional Skyhawk which ATC was referencing. After we began turning toward the downwind; ATC told us to turn left immediately. I took control of the airplane and maneuvered back to downwind. I couldn't accurately state how close we were to the other traffic but it was certainly what I would consider a near miss.One contributing factor was instructor fatigue. This flight was the last of four activities of the day and my level of alertness and judgment was lower than if it were the first flight of the day. Additionally; after the ATC instruction; I found what I thought was my traffic but did not double check as I normally would. Another contributing factor is a limitation of the airplane we were flying. As we began the turn into the pattern; the conflicting traffic was obstructed by the wing; limiting our ability to see and avoid.

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.

After misidentifying traffic pointed out by the tower; a PA28 instructor and student pilot suffered an near midair collision with a C172 while entering the pattern.