Narrative:

VFR approach to runway 1--ILS back up. Reported field in sight. Tower advised we were #2 behind a flight of fgt's. We asked how many in the formation and tower answered 3. We were on right base and reported seeing 2 fgt's together on left base. Tower came back and responded his mistake--that only 2 were out. As we turned on final behind the 2 ships we saw #3 turning on just in front and below us. He was slower. We managed large s-turns and landed uneventfully. If we had not seen #3 we would have made a nice formation with him. Suggest tower know how many aircraft are in the formation flts. Camouflaged fgt's are hard to see.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW SURPRISED BY THIRD, UNREPORTED FGT TURNING FINAL. EVASIVE S-TURNS WERE REQUIRED.

Narrative: VFR APCH TO RWY 1--ILS BACK UP. RPTED FIELD IN SIGHT. TWR ADVISED WE WERE #2 BEHIND A FLT OF FGT'S. WE ASKED HOW MANY IN THE FORMATION AND TWR ANSWERED 3. WE WERE ON RIGHT BASE AND RPTED SEEING 2 FGT'S TOGETHER ON LEFT BASE. TWR CAME BACK AND RESPONDED HIS MISTAKE--THAT ONLY 2 WERE OUT. AS WE TURNED ON FINAL BEHIND THE 2 SHIPS WE SAW #3 TURNING ON JUST IN FRONT AND BELOW US. HE WAS SLOWER. WE MANAGED LARGE S-TURNS AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. IF WE HAD NOT SEEN #3 WE WOULD HAVE MADE A NICE FORMATION WITH HIM. SUGGEST TWR KNOW HOW MANY ACFT ARE IN THE FORMATION FLTS. CAMOUFLAGED FGT'S ARE HARD TO SEE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.