Small Aircraft
Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Flight Instructor; Flight Crew Commercial
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 287; Flight Crew Total 17952; Flight Crew Type 8254
Training / Qualification; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Human Factors
I was flying with a private pilot doing take offs and landings. Weather was perfect and light winds and my student and I were cleared for take off. Everything was normal on climbout up to our crosswind turn for left closed traffic. Upon reaching pattern altitude at 875 feet and just about to turn downwind we were faced with another aircraft joining the downwind and we experienced a very near miss. The Control Tower screamed out a tail number of another aircraft and told that aircraft to turn right immediately which of course didn't help us and then a scream from the Tower to execute a right 360 degree turn to avoid traffic by which time we were in a head on situation.After following up with the Supervisor of the Control Tower his explanation was to say sorry; but they were training new controllers and admitted the horrific mistake. Upon checking the tapes in the Tower we realized that this incredibly bad decision by the Tower was evidenced by the communication. My student was horrified and completely discouraged from flying again which is so regrettable.
Small aircraft flight instructor reported an NMAC in the CMA airport pattern.