General aviation pilots reported a near miss with another aircraft while in the traffic pattern during a training flight.
Synopsis
General aviation pilots reported a near miss with another aircraft while in the traffic pattern during a training flight.
Narrative
I was acting as safety pilot for currency of a fellow instrument pilot. At this time we were both VFR. We were inbound from ZZZ returning to FNL. I activated the final leg of the RNAV approach to Runway 15 for situational awareness. We contacted Tower and were given straight in 15 report 5 miles. The other pilot and I decided he could log an additional approach with me giving vectors to final. He went back under the hood and we started the practice approach. We notified tower of 5 miles and were cleared to land #3 Runway 15. We started down the glide path and the controller called out 'Traffic to follow is crossing the numbers'; Then came back on instantly and asked that we make a left 360. I took control of the aircraft as the other pilot was in foggels. I replied left 360.I started the turn and 180 degrees into the turn he asked us to 'Fly extended downwind for jet on approach' I established the course and looked at my iPad to try to find the jet on the approach. I noticed through ADSB that there was an aircraft almost on top of us with altitude fluctuating between 0 and 100 feet above; a little behind and to the right; about our 5 o clock. I didn't want to fly into the approach course of the jet and a turn to the right seemed like a bad choice as the other aircraft was closing in. I put the aircraft into a descent to gain separation from the conflicting aircraft. Once the jet passed on our left I turned base to create more space. We were then cleared back in to land.It appears that we were turned out of a short final approach to not hinder the jet traffic that was inbound
Second reporter narrative
I was PIC making practice approaches for instrument currency at ZZZ with a safety pilot. We were returning to FNL. I called NOCO Tower approximately 10 miles northeast of FNL and was directed to fly a straight in approach to Runway 15 and contact Tower 5 miles from the airport. We decided to practice the RNAV 15 approach and headed for LASXE; turning early to join the approach at WIDOD. I re-donned my foggles. As we turned inbound prior to reaching LASXE we called the Tower and reported a 5 mile final. Tower cleared us to land #3 on Runway 15. Tower told us the traffic to follow was just turning at the numbers. After passing WIDOD; Tower told us to make a left 360 to make way for Aircraft Y on an extended final. The safety pilot took control and I removed my foggles. Tower later amended this to fly north and look for the landing jet traffic. At this time we noticed on ADSB that there was left downwind traffic at our altitude and very close. Stuck between the downwind traffic and the jet on final; we elected to descend to create separation. Once past the jet on final; we were cleared to land and made an immediate left base turn to put distance between us and the downwind aircraft. In the future I will be more careful in accepting ATC directions which could turn us into the path of other traffic in the pattern. It would have been helpful for tower to have given us a traffic call for the airplane on downwind. That said; I should have had better awareness about the other traffic in the pattern.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.