A C150 pilot on close downwind turned base behind the wrong aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	511439
Time
Date	200105
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fai.airport
State Reference	AK
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : fai.tower artcc : zmp.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cessna 150
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : fai.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-18/19 Super Cub
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 25 flight time total : 365 flight time type : 260
ASRS Report	511439
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying my C150 and I was in closed traffic at the fai airport. I was told to follow a super cub ahead of me. I turned base when I had the traffic in sight ahead of me. I did not realize that I had turned base following a super cub, but there were 2 super cubs and I had cut in front of the one I was supposed to have been following. When I realized my mistake, I made a right turn to get out of final and I tried to get behind the super cub I was supposed to have been following. When I made that right turn I had to climb to pass over the second cub. The second cub then landed and I proceeded to land as well. It would have been a great help if the tower would have given my sequence with a number instead of an aircraft type. There were 2 super cubs and I thought there was only 1. The tower should have said 'you are #4 to land' instead of saying 'follow that super cub.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C150 PLT ON CLOSE DOWNWIND TURNED BASE BEHIND THE WRONG ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING MY C150 AND I WAS IN CLOSED TFC AT THE FAI ARPT. I WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW A SUPER CUB AHEAD OF ME. I TURNED BASE WHEN I HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT AHEAD OF ME. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT I HAD TURNED BASE FOLLOWING A SUPER CUB, BUT THERE WERE 2 SUPER CUBS AND I HAD CUT IN FRONT OF THE ONE I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING. WHEN I REALIZED MY MISTAKE, I MADE A R TURN TO GET OUT OF FINAL AND I TRIED TO GET BEHIND THE SUPER CUB I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING. WHEN I MADE THAT R TURN I HAD TO CLB TO PASS OVER THE SECOND CUB. THE SECOND CUB THEN LANDED AND I PROCEEDED TO LAND AS WELL. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A GREAT HELP IF THE TWR WOULD HAVE GIVEN MY SEQUENCE WITH A NUMBER INSTEAD OF AN ACFT TYPE. THERE WERE 2 SUPER CUBS AND I THOUGHT THERE WAS ONLY 1. THE TWR SHOULD HAVE SAID 'YOU ARE #4 TO LAND' INSTEAD OF SAYING 'FOLLOW THAT SUPER CUB.'

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.