Near midair collision.

Attributes
ACN	208903
Time
Date	199204
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : jvl
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1600 msl bound upper : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : jvl tower : pit
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 170 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	208903
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 150 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

As I approached jvl to land I was advised by the tower that I was 4TH behind small aircraft Z. I am not that familiar with all Z models and assumed that the small aircraft Z was a twin. Just as I was about to turn on final, I heard the tower talk to an small transport Y and realized that this was the aircraft that I was following. I called the tower as I turned final to tell them that I had been following the small transport and did not have the small aircraft Z in sight. At this time I finally saw the small aircraft Z above and ahead of me. He had been on a right base and I was on a left base so we were both trying to follow the small transport Y. The tower advised the small aircraft Z to turn to avoid me and I continued on final and landed. I think that I will try to familiarize myself with more of the Z models to avoid such confusion in the future. I also feel that if the tower had advised to follow a 'single engine Z' rather than a particular model, I would have realized my mistake sooner and would have been looking for the correct plane. I do not feel that we were close enough to be in danger, but I am sure there was some frustration/irritation on the part of the other pilot.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC.

Narrative: AS I APCHED JVL TO LAND I WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR THAT I WAS 4TH BEHIND SMA Z. I AM NOT THAT FAMILIAR WITH ALL Z MODELS AND ASSUMED THAT THE SMA Z WAS A TWIN. JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO TURN ON FINAL, I HEARD THE TWR TALK TO AN SMT Y AND REALIZED THAT THIS WAS THE ACFT THAT I WAS FOLLOWING. I CALLED THE TWR AS I TURNED FINAL TO TELL THEM THAT I HAD BEEN FOLLOWING THE SMT AND DID NOT HAVE THE SMA Z IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME I FINALLY SAW THE SMA Z ABOVE AND AHEAD OF ME. HE HAD BEEN ON A R BASE AND I WAS ON A L BASE SO WE WERE BOTH TRYING TO FOLLOW THE SMT Y. THE TWR ADVISED THE SMA Z TO TURN TO AVOID ME AND I CONTINUED ON FINAL AND LANDED. I THINK THAT I WILL TRY TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH MORE OF THE Z MODELS TO AVOID SUCH CONFUSION IN THE FUTURE. I ALSO FEEL THAT IF THE TWR HAD ADVISED TO FOLLOW A 'SINGLE ENG Z' RATHER THAN A PARTICULAR MODEL, I WOULD HAVE REALIZED MY MISTAKE SOONER AND WOULD HAVE BEEN LOOKING FOR THE CORRECT PLANE. I DO NOT FEEL THAT WE WERE CLOSE ENOUGH TO BE IN DANGER, BUT I AM SURE THERE WAS SOME FRUSTRATION/IRRITATION ON THE PART OF THE OTHER PLT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.