GA CFI reported losing site of traffic they were to follow at frg and had to make an evasive turn to...

Narrative:

While teaching my student takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern; tower asked us; as we were in the right downwind for runway 19; if we could see aircraft Y in the left downwind for runway 19; turning base over the long island expressway (lie). I saw a plane over the numbers about to land 19 and what appeared to be the traffic over the lie and responded that we had him sight. We were then instructed to follow him and that we were number 3 cleared touch and go. I kept an eye on the traffic as I divided my attention between instructing my student and looking outside for the other traffic. When I saw what I believed was the #2 traffic we were instructed to follow abeam us on final (we were still on downwind); I waited a few seconds and then instructed my student to turn base. As we were about to turn final; tower asked us if we still had the traffic in sight; telling us that they were 1 o'clock and just below us turning to final. I saw the traffic and took the controls from the student; stopping our descent and making an immediate left turn to avoid him. Making this turn gave us enough spacing between him and us. We rejoined final and I returned control of the aircraft to the student; and the rest of the flight proceeded as normal; we made a touch and go.I believe a big contributing factor to this was my division of attention inside and outside the aircraft. In directing my attention inside; I apparently lost contact with the conflicting traffic. I was surprised by this though because we were told by tower that we were number 3; and I saw the two other planes: the one over the numbers and the other over the lie. Perhaps when I said I saw the traffic over the lie; I was seeing something that actually was not the other traffic? I believe this near miss would not have occurred if I managed my division of attention better between the inside and the outside of the plane. But I am also wondering if tower misspoke and we were #4 or instead of being #3.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA CFI reported losing site of traffic they were to follow at FRG and had to make an evasive turn to avoid a collision. Instructor subsequently reported making a normal touch and go landing.

Narrative: While teaching my student takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern; Tower asked us; as we were in the right downwind for runway 19; if we could see Aircraft Y in the left downwind for runway 19; turning base over the Long Island Expressway (LIE). I saw a plane over the numbers about to land 19 and what appeared to be the traffic over the LIE and responded that we had him sight. We were then instructed to follow him and that we were number 3 cleared touch and go. I kept an eye on the traffic as I divided my attention between instructing my student and looking outside for the other traffic. When I saw what I believed was the #2 traffic we were instructed to follow abeam us on final (we were still on downwind); I waited a few seconds and then instructed my student to turn base. As we were about to turn final; Tower asked us if we still had the traffic in sight; telling us that they were 1 o'clock and just below us turning to final. I saw the traffic and took the controls from the student; stopping our descent and making an immediate left turn to avoid him. Making this turn gave us enough spacing between him and us. We rejoined final and I returned control of the aircraft to the student; and the rest of the flight proceeded as normal; we made a touch and go.I believe a big contributing factor to this was my division of attention inside and outside the aircraft. In directing my attention inside; I apparently lost contact with the conflicting traffic. I was surprised by this though because we were told by tower that we were number 3; and I saw the two other planes: the one over the numbers and the other over the LIE. Perhaps when I said I saw the traffic over the LIE; I was seeing something that actually was not the other traffic? I believe this near miss would not have occurred if I managed my division of attention better between the inside and the outside of the plane. But I am also wondering if tower misspoke and we were #4 or instead of being #3.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.

Attributes
ACN	1416735
Time
Date	201701
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	FRG.Airport
State Reference	NY
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Final Approach
Person 1
Function	Instructor Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Commercial Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Instrument Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 39 Flight Crew Total 332 Flight Crew Type 33
Events
Anomaly	Conflict NMAC
Miss Distance	Vertical 400

GA CFI reported losing site of traffic they were to follow at frg and had to make an evasive turn to avoid a collision. Instructor subsequently reported making a normal touch and go landing.