Reporter aircraft executed missed approach when he was unable to identify traffic to follow.

Attributes
ACN	113299
Time
Date	198906
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hrl
State Reference	TX
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2600 agl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hrl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 1700
ASRS Report	113299
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 1500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On approach at hrl (non radar) a navy twin was reported to be 2 mi from the runway. I called the aircraft in sight and the runway in sight and was cleared for a visual approach to runway 17R. At 2600' MSL, the navy aircraft reported seeing us overhead and at that time the captain executed a missed approach. The navy aircraft was not 2 mi from the field, but 2 mi from sebas outer compass locator. We continued and landed without incident. I obviously was not looking at the navy aircraft and we got an erroneous report as to his position. It is my opinion that hrl is due some approach control radar to bring it to the 1990's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: REPORTER ACFT EXECUTED MISSED APCH WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY TRAFFIC TO FOLLOW.

Narrative: ON APCH AT HRL (NON RADAR) A NAVY TWIN WAS REPORTED TO BE 2 MI FROM THE RWY. I CALLED THE ACFT IN SIGHT AND THE RWY IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 17R. AT 2600' MSL, THE NAVY ACFT REPORTED SEEING US OVERHEAD AND AT THAT TIME THE CAPT EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. THE NAVY ACFT WAS NOT 2 MI FROM THE FIELD, BUT 2 MI FROM SEBAS OUTER COMPASS LOCATOR. WE CONTINUED AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I OBVIOUSLY WAS NOT LOOKING AT THE NAVY ACFT AND WE GOT AN ERRONEOUS REPORT AS TO HIS POSITION. IT IS MY OPINION THAT HRL IS DUE SOME APCH CTL RADAR TO BRING IT TO THE 1990'S.

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.