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Aircraft was cleared for visual approach, but followed wrong aircraft and had to be resequenced for approach.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 105667 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198903 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : san |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : san |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 11500 |
| ASRS Report | 105667 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
On approach to lindbergh airport in san, we were told we were #5 for approach. Approach gave us headings and speeds for an extended downwind at san. 15 mi east they told us to follow an aircraft at 2 O'clock position, cleared visibility approach. We had the sun reflection off the aircraft and turned in behind him. Approach called up and told us to turn to a heading of 310 degrees and maintain 5000'. The aircraft we were to follow was now at our 10:30 position. We had seen the aircraft preceding the one ATC wanted us to follow. No evasive action was needed as we did not come very close. Visibility approachs are good. ATC radar information is often misinterp. For example: 2 O'clock on radar is actually 1 O'clock from our angle in cockpit. Also it is easy to think ATC means one aircraft, when he is referring to another. This is one of the contributing causes of air carrier xx midair accident.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACFT WAS CLEARED FOR VISUAL APCH, BUT FOLLOWED WRONG ACFT AND HAD TO BE RESEQUENCED FOR APCH.
Narrative: ON APCH TO LINDBERGH ARPT IN SAN, WE WERE TOLD WE WERE #5 FOR APCH. APCH GAVE US HDGS AND SPDS FOR AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND AT SAN. 15 MI E THEY TOLD US TO FOLLOW AN ACFT AT 2 O'CLOCK POS, CLRED VIS APCH. WE HAD THE SUN REFLECTION OFF THE ACFT AND TURNED IN BEHIND HIM. APCH CALLED UP AND TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 310 DEGS AND MAINTAIN 5000'. THE ACFT WE WERE TO FOLLOW WAS NOW AT OUR 10:30 POS. WE HAD SEEN THE ACFT PRECEDING THE ONE ATC WANTED US TO FOLLOW. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS NEEDED AS WE DID NOT COME VERY CLOSE. VIS APCHS ARE GOOD. ATC RADAR INFO IS OFTEN MISINTERP. FOR EXAMPLE: 2 O'CLOCK ON RADAR IS ACTUALLY 1 O'CLOCK FROM OUR ANGLE IN COCKPIT. ALSO IT IS EASY TO THINK ATC MEANS ONE ACFT, WHEN HE IS REFERRING TO ANOTHER. THIS IS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTING CAUSES OF ACR XX MIDAIR ACCIDENT.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.