Albatros (L39)
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 250; Flight Crew Total 1130; Flight Crew Type 0
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Human Factors; Procedure
Myself; a Commercial pilot; CFI-I and a Private Pilot who owned the aircraft were flying back into ZZZ and had requested the overhead break approach. The approach controller cleared us for the approach and informed us to report a 2 mile initial for the approach. At the same time a C172 was on the ILS XX at ZZZ above us. When we reported the 2 mile initial for the overhead break we had just passed underneath the C172 and subsequently lost visual contact on the aircraft as they were above and behind us. The tower cleared us for a right break over the departure end of Runway XX and to wait for the tower to call the base turn. I am not sure why but both myself and the other pilot on board misinterpreted the exact location to start the approach. We both believed that we should start the turn over the approach end of Runway XX; even after correctly repeating back the instructions for starting the turn on the departure end. Again; I am not entirely sure why two experienced pilots both misinterpreted a relatively simple instruction; but a misunderstanding between pilot and controller was evident. The pilot who was on the radio asked the control tower for clarification on when  to start the break and we were met with no answer. I began the right turn over the approach end of the runway. The control tower immediately requested to know what our intentions were. Again; we asked for clarification on when to start the turn on the break and the tower instructed us to continue the downwind and wait for clearance to turn base. This was where the major mistake was made; as I continued the right turn into the final approach corridor. I am not sure why I made this mistake; most likely due to stress and loss of situational awareness; however I believe continuing the right turn was probably the worst reaction to those stressors as I knew there was an aircraft somewhere near my altitude and on a converging path. The appropriate reaction would have been to turn away from the final approach corridor. We came close to colliding with the C172; although I never had visual contact on the aircraft so I am not sure how close. A few key points that I believe helped in creating the misunderstanding were the clearance for the overhead break. The intentions of the tower and the intentions of the pilots were very different in this case. The tower needed us to extend our upwind and then extend our downwind. We were anticipating an overhead break approach where we kept a tight break into a descending approach onto final. I believe both myself and the tower could have made our mutual intentions clearer to each other to help avoid this near miss from happening. I believe there was also an error with the sequencing of the aircraft. We were brought in underneath an aircraft on the ILS and that led to loss of SA; knowing that we were going to be turning back into the direction of that plane.
Doing an overhead break approach to Runway XX at ZZZ I was given instruction to break over the departure end of the runway and land #2 behind traffic on final.  I have done the overhead break approach over 100 times and have always gotten break over the numbers or midfield.  I know now that the controller wanted me to break over the far end of the runway (over number XY); not over the number XX.  I didn't understand the sequencing and asked for clarification 3 times.  The controller repeated the instructions twice (which I still didn't understand) and the 3rd time didn't answer me.  I broke over the numbers XX and announced my break to the controller and asked if we were cleared to land.  I was still at 1500 ft. AGL and turning right base; and the controller told me to establish on the down wind.  At this point I was not clear which way to go and was eventually told to maintain heading and climb (in a series of radio calls).  We came around and repeated the maneuver and was cleared to break over the numbers without any issues.My mistakes were not understanding that I was expected to break at the far end of the runway (which was the first time I had ever gotten this direction); not understanding what the controller wanted me to do when he realized we broke early; not asking for a go around early in the process because of the lack of understanding on my part.
Pilot and a Flight Instructor reported a NMAC occurred after they incorrectly executed an 'overhead break' clearance issued by ATC.  Reporters stated they turned over the approach end of the runway rather than the departure end putting them in proximity to another aircraft on approach.