An light transport jet cut an small aircraft out of a traffic pattern. It was dusk.

Attributes
ACN	223301
Time
Date	199208
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hef
State Reference	VA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1200 agl bound upper : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hef tower : dca
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : instrument pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2500 flight time type : 900
ASRS Report	223301
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	unspecified : 950
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On returning from a maintenance test flight, we called the manassas tower and advised them we were approaching from the west for landing. The tower is non radar and they advised us to report a 2 mi right base for 16L. Upon reaching our reporting point, we attempted to call and advise, but due to the high use of the frequency, we were approximately 1-1 1/2 mi out before contact was made. The tower asked if we had the small aircraft on a 1 mi final. We advised we had the aircraft and slowed to follow. Upon turning final, I advised the PNF to ask if the aircraft in front of us was touch-and-go or full stop. The tower advised that our traffic to follow was now behind us and we had turned in front of it. The traffic we were to follow then replied that we had almost hit them. The tower then responded 'yes, we saw that.' consequently, we were cleared to land and, after landing, I called the tower to apologize for the misunderstanding and confusion. We had never seen the small aircraft, and, upon seeing the aircraft on final, it was not possible to distinguish its type being that it was dusk. We thought we had idented the correct aircraft to follow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN LTT JET CUT AN SMA OUT OF A TFC PATTERN. IT WAS DUSK.

Narrative: ON RETURNING FROM A MAINT TEST FLT, WE CALLED THE MANASSAS TWR AND ADVISED THEM WE WERE APCHING FROM THE W FOR LNDG. THE TWR IS NON RADAR AND THEY ADVISED US TO RPT A 2 MI R BASE FOR 16L. UPON REACHING OUR RPTING POINT, WE ATTEMPTED TO CALL AND ADVISE, BUT DUE TO THE HIGH USE OF THE FREQ, WE WERE APPROX 1-1 1/2 MI OUT BEFORE CONTACT WAS MADE. THE TWR ASKED IF WE HAD THE SMA ON A 1 MI FINAL. WE ADVISED WE HAD THE ACFT AND SLOWED TO FOLLOW. UPON TURNING FINAL, I ADVISED THE PNF TO ASK IF THE ACFT IN FRONT OF US WAS TOUCH-AND-GO OR FULL STOP. THE TWR ADVISED THAT OUR TFC TO FOLLOW WAS NOW BEHIND US AND WE HAD TURNED IN FRONT OF IT. THE TFC WE WERE TO FOLLOW THEN REPLIED THAT WE HAD ALMOST HIT THEM. THE TWR THEN RESPONDED 'YES, WE SAW THAT.' CONSEQUENTLY, WE WERE CLRED TO LAND AND, AFTER LNDG, I CALLED THE TWR TO APOLOGIZE FOR THE MISUNDERSTANDING AND CONFUSION. WE HAD NEVER SEEN THE SMA, AND, UPON SEEING THE ACFT ON FINAL, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DISTINGUISH ITS TYPE BEING THAT IT WAS DUSK. WE THOUGHT WE HAD IDENTED THE CORRECT ACFT TO FOLLOW.

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.