C172 flight instructors reported ATC Tower failure to separate aircraft resulted in both taking evasive action and a NMAC event.
Synopsis
C172 flight instructors reported ATC Tower failure to separate aircraft resulted in both taking evasive action and a NMAC event.
Narrative
Entering a Left base for Runway X at ZZZ with a student in Aircraft X; Tower instructed us to fly a 140 heading. Tower controller was task saturated with a jet taking off and another jet coming in on final. There was also another cessna on the left downwind for Runway X. Controller seemed to get task saturated with jet taking off and issuing a departure clearance and forgot about the two cessnas (myself on a base and the other in the downwind); resulting in us being vectored toward each other. With the other cessna coming closer to us; I took controls from student and immediately made a right 360 to avoid Aircraft Y and Aircraft Y descended; resulting in a near miss. The controller attempted to give Aircraft Y vectors towards shoreline away from airport to sort out the other traffic complications with me and the citation jet on final. We were then cleared to land behind the jet and made it safely to the ground. Next time; i would take evasive measures earlier despite not being given clearance form Tower to do so. Tower then apologized for the mistake.
Second reporter narrative
ATC fixated on departing and landing jet traffic and forgot about me and another C172. Tower had told me to extend my downwind while having traffic set up on a 3 mile left base for Runway X. The left base traffic made a right 360 and I started to descend. After the evasion happened Tower then gave us the traffic alert and vectored me east to then make a right 270 to set me back up for a right base Runway X. Tower then apologized and said it was on him and he will do better.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.