PA28 pilot has near midair collision in pattern at gfk.

Attributes
ACN	715417
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk.airport
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gfk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : gfk.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee/Archer II/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 300 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	715417
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 300 vertical : 50
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

On downwind for runway 26. We asked for traffic. Tower gave call 'arrow 1.5 mi downwind.' we observed arrow at the given distance. Turned base accordingly. Tower gave call cutoff; I turned the aircraft back to downwind. Came within 300 ft of an arrow following the other arrow. We were never advised of second arrow and it was well beyond the 1.5 call we were given.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 PLT HAS NMAC IN PATTERN AT GFK.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 26. WE ASKED FOR TFC. TWR GAVE CALL 'ARROW 1.5 MI DOWNWIND.' WE OBSERVED ARROW AT THE GIVEN DISTANCE. TURNED BASE ACCORDINGLY. TWR GAVE CALL CUTOFF; I TURNED THE ACFT BACK TO DOWNWIND. CAME WITHIN 300 FT OF AN ARROW FOLLOWING THE OTHER ARROW. WE WERE NEVER ADVISED OF SECOND ARROW AND IT WAS WELL BEYOND THE 1.5 CALL WE WERE GIVEN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.