A C172 CFI has a problem with aircraft identify and turned base too early at dab, fl.

Attributes
ACN	537693
Time
Date	200202
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dab.airport
State Reference	FL
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : dab.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : dab.tower
Make Model Name	M-20 Series Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor
Qualification	pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 8.1 flight time total : 254 flight time type : 210
ASRS Report	537693
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 5000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While on a right downwind in the pattern for runway 7R at dab, I lost sight of the cessna we were supposed to follow, as a result of my attention being momentarily diverted by the student pilot that was flying. I took control of the airplane and continued downwind. Shortly thereafter, ATC advised us that the cessna we were to follow had turned base too early and cut off several aircraft on final, and to continue downwind to follow mooney on final. A few moments later, I saw a mooney on final, abeam our position and started to turn base to follow. As I had nearly completed the 90 degree right turn, I saw another mooney about 1 mi away coming nearly at us, and I executed a 270 degree right turn back to downwind, realizing that the first mooney I saw was on final for runway 7L, the parallel runway. This occurred on an extended downwind for runway 7R about 3 mi from the runway threshold. There were several other aircraft in the pattern which might have created a collision hazard, though I don't believe it did. ATC then asked who had made the early base turn and the following turn. Now that there was silence on the frequency, I advised ATC that we had turned early but now had the correct mooney in sight. We were told to follow it and cleared to land. I do not believe ATC ever gave the position of the mooney initially just that it was 'a mooney on final.' due to my initial perception, I turned base too early, believing the mooney that was final for runway 7L was on final for runway 7R.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C172 CFI HAS A PROB WITH ACFT IDENT AND TURNED BASE TOO EARLY AT DAB, FL.

Narrative: WHILE ON A R DOWNWIND IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 7R AT DAB, I LOST SIGHT OF THE CESSNA WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW, AS A RESULT OF MY ATTN BEING MOMENTARILY DIVERTED BY THE STUDENT PLT THAT WAS FLYING. I TOOK CTL OF THE AIRPLANE AND CONTINUED DOWNWIND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC ADVISED US THAT THE CESSNA WE WERE TO FOLLOW HAD TURNED BASE TOO EARLY AND CUT OFF SEVERAL ACFT ON FINAL, AND TO CONTINUE DOWNWIND TO FOLLOW MOONEY ON FINAL. A FEW MOMENTS LATER, I SAW A MOONEY ON FINAL, ABEAM OUR POS AND STARTED TO TURN BASE TO FOLLOW. AS I HAD NEARLY COMPLETED THE 90 DEG R TURN, I SAW ANOTHER MOONEY ABOUT 1 MI AWAY COMING NEARLY AT US, AND I EXECUTED A 270 DEG R TURN BACK TO DOWNWIND, REALIZING THAT THE FIRST MOONEY I SAW WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 7L, THE PARALLEL RWY. THIS OCCURRED ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND FOR RWY 7R ABOUT 3 MI FROM THE RWY THRESHOLD. THERE WERE SEVERAL OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN WHICH MIGHT HAVE CREATED A COLLISION HAZARD, THOUGH I DON'T BELIEVE IT DID. ATC THEN ASKED WHO HAD MADE THE EARLY BASE TURN AND THE FOLLOWING TURN. NOW THAT THERE WAS SILENCE ON THE FREQ, I ADVISED ATC THAT WE HAD TURNED EARLY BUT NOW HAD THE CORRECT MOONEY IN SIGHT. WE WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW IT AND CLRED TO LAND. I DO NOT BELIEVE ATC EVER GAVE THE POS OF THE MOONEY INITIALLY JUST THAT IT WAS 'A MOONEY ON FINAL.' DUE TO MY INITIAL PERCEPTION, I TURNED BASE TOO EARLY, BELIEVING THE MOONEY THAT WAS FINAL FOR RWY 7L WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 7R.

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.