Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Private
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 21; Flight Crew Total 121; Flight Crew Type 46
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure
Busy airport traffic pattern on [my] lesson solo. Multiple aircraft in traffic pattern of several different types. I was instructed to make left base for Runway 30L. I started to turn base without being cleared to land. Two aircraft; including myself and another aircraft which was on a very extended downwind south of the delta nearly 5 miles south of where I was turning 'base'; were instructed to make a right turn to re-enter the downwind to give landing space to an air carrier. I had never heard this command but interpreted it to mean to make a 360 back into the traffic pattern. Aircraft Y in front of me was given the instruction first and immediately started their turn to the right. When I was given the instruction; I waited to try to ask Gateway Tower what they meant; but the frequency was too busy. I decided to start the turn to the right to make a 360 to re-enter the downwind. Unfortunately; my slow thinking led to me making a turn at the same time that the aircraft in front of me was already almost finished with their turn. This resulted in a near head-on collision. The other aircraft fortunately realized this; pulled up and turned to their right promptly. I saw the aircraft fly over me and assumed it was an aircraft coming south from the gap with an odd pattern entry. Although a bit flustered; I was able to land the airplane and thought of it as a bad coincidence. The flight instructor on-board the other aircraft in the incident; approached me after my flight and asked to discuss once I returned. We discussed the incident and my flight instructor who was not on-board my solo flight; was also notified and joined us in the debrief.
Student pilot reported confusion over ATC instructions during a solo flight in the traffic pattern. The pilot delayed a turn which resulted in a NMAC.