PA-44 Seminole/Turbo Seminole
Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 208; Flight Crew Total 688; Flight Crew Type 209
Distraction; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Procedure; Aircraft; Human Factors
My student and I were performing a training flight and were looking to practice takeoffs and landings in the pattern. We were practicing short-field takeoffs in a PA-44; and the Tower stated that we were cleared for takeoff and to follow a Cessna on upwind. As my student took off into the traffic pattern and made the crosswind to downwind turn; I heard another pilot on the radio stating that another aircraft had just come in close contact with his own; at which point I realized I had lost track of the Cessna we were told to follow. The Tower then reiterated that we were following a Cessna and wanted us to verify that we had the traffic in sight. I saw that our TIS showed us in very close proximity to another aircraft; and from the ensuing radio transmissions; it seemed that the Cessna was now slightly behind and above us; which is where I looked to track down the traffic. With traffic behind us still not yet in sight; we were cleared for landing by Tower. The other pilot in the Cessna told the Tower that we had flown to within 50 feet of his position.This near miss could have been avoided if I had kept my eyes looking outside for traffic and had I maintained proper situational awareness. My focus was instead more directed inside for training my student on a certain maneuver. Usually; when we perform a normal takeoff in a Cessna and follow another Cessna in the upwind; separation is not much of a factor. But being in a higher performance aircraft this time and performing a high performance takeoff; I should have known to be more vigilant of aircraft separation.
PA44 flight instructor reported a near-mid-air-collision on after takeoff due to a lack of attention to preceding traffic separation.