Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 53; Flight Crew Total 1036; Flight Crew Type 193
Confusion; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
Upon departure from Runway 09 at Ft. Lauderdale Executive Airport for pattern work; I was at approximately 700 feet when immediately before I started my right crosswind turn ATC inquired if I had the traffic at my 1 o'clock in sight and after confirming I did; I was told to follow the traffic on the downwind. After making the turn to crosswind; I noticed a target on the TCAS coming from my 9 o'clock on a right downwind for Runway 09. At the same time; ATC asked me if I was following the traffic and I observed the other traffic pass under me by about 200 feet (per information from the TCAS). I then told ATC that I had the traffic in sight and had thought that the traffic I was supposed to follow was another aircraft that had already passed abeam while I was on my crosswind leg. When ATC told me to identify traffic at my 1 o'clock; I saw an aircraft at about my 1-2 o'clock and misidentified it as the same aircraft ATC intended for me to identify. I was also not aware that there was another aircraft behind the misidentified aircraft. In the future I will try to develop a better picture of the aircraft that are in the traffic pattern by using better scanning techniques and not being so quick to presume traffic I identified is the correct traffic.
Small Aircraft pilot reported an airborne conflict during departure from FXE airport.