PA28 involved in near midair collision with another PA28 turning base from opposite direction.

Attributes
ACN	758381
Time
Date	200710
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : gfk.airport
State Reference	ND
Altitude	msl single value : 1600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Rain Turbulence
Light	Daylight
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
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
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
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 200 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	758831
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 400 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Ceilings approximately 2500 ft; winds were 300 degrees at approximately 15 KTS gusting 28 KTS. Were inbound on a VOR approach to runway 35L and were switched approximately 1.5 mi out to runway 26. We were given vectors to runway 26. We were given clearance to land and aircraft #2 was told to follow behind us on base. Aircraft #2 acknowledged instructions. My instructor and I were on base for runway 26 at grand forks international less than 1 mi out. Aircraft #2 was coming from the north and we were inbound from the south. Aircraft #2 turned base directly into us. We visually saw the airplane; adsb also showed a traffic alert. We took corrective action and flew outbound to the east. We notified the controller of our corrective action. The controller then cleared us to land behind aircraft #2. He landed and we followed. The controller seemed very busy and overworked. I believe the problem was caused by an overworked controller and a new/inexperienced pilot who misunderstood instructions. This could have potentially been prevented in a number of ways including; the student/and or instructor in aircraft #2 listening more carefully or alleviating some of the work of the controller.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PA28 INVOLVED IN NMAC WITH ANOTHER PA28 TURNING BASE FROM OPPOSITE DIRECTION.

Narrative: CEILINGS APPROX 2500 FT; WINDS WERE 300 DEGS AT APPROX 15 KTS GUSTING 28 KTS. WERE INBOUND ON A VOR APCH TO RWY 35L AND WERE SWITCHED APPROX 1.5 MI OUT TO RWY 26. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS TO RWY 26. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC TO LAND AND ACFT #2 WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW BEHIND US ON BASE. ACFT #2 ACKNOWLEDGED INSTRUCTIONS. MY INSTRUCTOR AND I WERE ON BASE FOR RWY 26 AT GRAND FORKS INTL LESS THAN 1 MI OUT. ACFT #2 WAS COMING FROM THE N AND WE WERE INBOUND FROM THE S. ACFT #2 TURNED BASE DIRECTLY INTO US. WE VISUALLY SAW THE AIRPLANE; ADSB ALSO SHOWED A TFC ALERT. WE TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION AND FLEW OUTBOUND TO THE E. WE NOTIFIED THE CTLR OF OUR CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO LAND BEHIND ACFT #2. HE LANDED AND WE FOLLOWED. THE CTLR SEEMED VERY BUSY AND OVERWORKED. I BELIEVE THE PROB WAS CAUSED BY AN OVERWORKED CTLR AND A NEW/INEXPERIENCED PLT WHO MISUNDERSTOOD INSTRUCTIONS. THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY BEEN PREVENTED IN A NUMBER OF WAYS INCLUDING; THE STUDENT/AND OR INSTRUCTOR IN ACFT #2 LISTENING MORE CAREFULLY OR ALLEVIATING SOME OF THE WORK OF THE CTLR.

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.