Flight Crew Commercial; Flight Crew Flight Instructor
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 140; Flight Crew Total 535; Flight Crew Type 375
Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
Conflict NMAC; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Aircraft; Human Factors
While doing touch and go's with my student on XXR; we were told to follow an aircraft ahead of us in the pattern. Upon reaching downwind to base; we turned to follow another aircraft that was actually ahead of the aircraft we were instructed to follow. This resulted in a traffic conflict between us and the aircraft we were supposed to follow. The aircraft we were flying was not equipped with any traffic avoidance equipment or ADS-B. This does not negate my responsibility as an instructor to maintain situational awareness at all times. I debriefed this with my student and have continued to share lessons learned with my other students since this event. When in doubt about traffic to follow; always ask for sequence.
C172 Flight Instructor reported following wrong aircraft in pattern resulting in NMAC.