SMA HAS NMAC IN TFC PATTERN AT TWR CTLED ARPT.

Narrative

WHILE ABOUT 15 MI FROM ARPT; LISTENED TO ATIS AND TWR TFC. PATTERN WAS CONGESTED; SO ON INITIAL CONTACT; REQUESTED A COUPLE OF 360 DEGS TURNS; 5 MI S TO ALLOW TFC TO CLR. IT WAS MY IMPRESSION THE TWR OPERATOR WAS A LITTLE 'BEHIND' WHAT WAS HAPPENING. AFTER A COUPLE OF TURNS; REQUESTED TO TURN INBOUND FOR TOUCH-AND-GO'S. I BELIEVE IT WAS ON MY SECOND PATTERN; I RPTED DOWNWIND ABEAM THE TWR. TWR RESPONDED WITH #2 FOLLOW THE SMA ON FINAL. AFTER TURNING BASE; TWR CALLED TFC AHEAD; 12 O'CLOCK. SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE TFC; I INITIATED A R SBOUND TURN AND CALLED THE TURN. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS; THE LNDG AIRPLANE CALLED HE WAS TURNING ALSO FOR TFC AVOIDANCE. I NEVER SAW THE OTHER PLANE UNTIL HE INITIATED HIS TURN. IT SEEMED LIKE HE WAS RIGHT ON TOP OF ME (VERY; VERY CLOSE). I ESTIMATE WE WERE WITHIN 500 FT OF EACH OTHER AT THE SAME ALT. AFTER TURNING THE OTHER PLANE; COMPLETED A NORMAL LNDG AND I DID A FINAL TOUCH-AND-GO BEFORE RETURNING TO HOME BASE. I THINK THIS INCIDENT WAS CAUSED BY MY INATTN TO WHICH AIRPLANE I WAS SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW; LOW VISIBILITY -- 3 MI HAZE; LACK OF STROBES -- BRIGHT POS LIGHTS ON THE OTHER ACFT; AND TWR OPERATOR FAILING TO ADEQUATELY CTL TFC FLOW. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES HE WAS TOLD HE WAS #2 WHEN HE WAS APPARENTLY #3 IN THE PATTERN FOR LNDG. HE HAD SIGHTED TFC ON FINAL AND TURNED BASE ONLY TO CONFRONT THE #2 ACFT. RAL IS A TRAINING TWR AND RPTR BELIEVES CTLR WAS A TRAINEE WHO GOT IN DEEP WITHOUT SUPVR INTERCEDING. NOTHING FURTHER HAD BEEN SAID. THE PROX REALLY SCARED HIM!