PA-28 Cherokee/Archer/Dakota/Pillan/Warrior
Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 131; Flight Crew Total 725; Flight Crew Type 472
Training / Qualification; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Human Factors
During entry into the pattern; I was instructed to turn southbound and fly outside the pattern expected runway maintain 2;100 ft. Turning to the south I followed the instructions of ATC until told to turn right and enter the downwind. I turned right and reported traffic in sight. I continued westbound preparing to enter the traffic pattern while traffic was approaching from the south preparing to enter the pattern which to my knowledge was preparing to enter the traffic pattern. ATC then instructed an aircraft to turn into the downwind and aircraft did not respond for approximately 60 seconds. Then ATC instructed me to turn northbound I was level at 2;100 ft. and followed the ATC instructions with traffic in the upwind 500 ft. below my altitude. Aircraft unresponsive to radio communication reported position 30 seconds later. I was turned back into the downwind and landed. Recommended corrective action would have been to enter the downwind rather than attempt to follow traffic as ATC desired me to enter the downwind and follow the traffic already established in the downwind.
An instructor pilot in the VFR pattern reported incorrect ATC instructions and other aircraft not responding put them resulted in a NMAC.