Mix-up reference traffic to follow in traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	241634
Time
Date	199305
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pie
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : pie
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
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 : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 82 flight time type : 82
ASRS Report	241634
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was approaching pie for a full stop landing. I had received clearance to enter the air traffic area, plus been given a squawk code and told to enter a right downwind for runway 35R. Shortly after receiving this clearance, radio communication between myself and the tower was blocked by another aircraft keying its microphone continually for a couple of mins. When the other aircraft stopped this I was beginning to enter the right downwind for 35R. I immediately asked for sequencing, but the tower started to talk to another aircraft and I received no reply. Then I was told by the tower to follow an small aircraft X. The only small aircraft X I saw was on final and I called back to the tower and told them that I had the small aircraft X in sight and that I would follow it. After the small aircraft X passed by me, I turned onto a right base and then a final for 35R. Upon reaching a 1/2 mi to 1/4 mi final I asked for a clearance to land and there was no reply from the tower. Then the tower cleared another aircraft behind me to land on 35R. Upon hearing this, I realized I had followed the wrong small aircraft X and that I was about to land out of sequence, so I prepared to do a go around, and as I was doing this, I again asked for clearance to land and this time tower replied with a clearance for me to land on 35R and I landed and exited the runway without incident. The best way to have avoided this dangerous situation would have been to clarify with the tower that the small aircraft X that I saw on final was the one that I was supposed to follow while I was still on downwind.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIX-UP REF TFC TO FOLLOW IN TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING PIE FOR A FULL STOP LNDG. I HAD RECEIVED CLRNC TO ENTER THE ATA, PLUS BEEN GIVEN A SQUAWK CODE AND TOLD TO ENTER A R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 35R. SHORTLY AFTER RECEIVING THIS CLRNC, RADIO COM BTWN MYSELF AND THE TWR WAS BLOCKED BY ANOTHER ACFT KEYING ITS MIKE CONTINUALLY FOR A COUPLE OF MINS. WHEN THE OTHER ACFT STOPPED THIS I WAS BEGINNING TO ENTER THE R DOWNWIND FOR 35R. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED FOR SEQUENCING, BUT THE TWR STARTED TO TALK TO ANOTHER ACFT AND I RECEIVED NO REPLY. THEN I WAS TOLD BY THE TWR TO FOLLOW AN SMA X. THE ONLY SMA X I SAW WAS ON FINAL AND I CALLED BACK TO THE TWR AND TOLD THEM THAT I HAD THE SMA X IN SIGHT AND THAT I WOULD FOLLOW IT. AFTER THE SMA X PASSED BY ME, I TURNED ONTO A R BASE AND THEN A FINAL FOR 35R. UPON REACHING A 1/2 MI TO 1/4 MI FINAL I ASKED FOR A CLRNC TO LAND AND THERE WAS NO REPLY FROM THE TWR. THEN THE TWR CLRED ANOTHER ACFT BEHIND ME TO LAND ON 35R. UPON HEARING THIS, I REALIZED I HAD FOLLOWED THE WRONG SMA X AND THAT I WAS ABOUT TO LAND OUT OF SEQUENCE, SO I PREPARED TO DO A GAR, AND AS I WAS DOING THIS, I AGAIN ASKED FOR CLRNC TO LAND AND THIS TIME TWR REPLIED WITH A CLRNC FOR ME TO LAND ON 35R AND I LANDED AND EXITED THE RWY WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE BEST WAY TO HAVE AVOIDED THIS DANGEROUS SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN TO CLARIFY WITH THE TWR THAT THE SMA X THAT I SAW ON FINAL WAS THE ONE THAT I WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW WHILE I WAS STILL ON DOWNWIND.

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.