Flight crew following wrong aircraft on visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	122009
Time
Date	198909
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : btg
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pdx artcc : zob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 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 total : 3300
ASRS Report	122009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On vectors to pdx 28R, we were given traffic 'just entering the river...(type).' my first officer and I idented an medium large transport and asked for verification; 'is that our traffic at 2 O'clock?', and received an affirmative answer and directions to follow. A few mins later in the approach, we had continued to search for traffic and saw another aircraft (same type). At that time approach questioned if we had our traffic in sight. Approach had incorrectly told us to follow the traffic we idented initially. To avoid any further closure, we pulled up and continued southbound, and requested vectors and altitudes from approach, which we received promptly. I estimated our closest approach to the second medium large transport as 1 1/2 mi and 1000' vertical sep. Prevention: the initial traffic description as 'entering the river' can be misleading--there are 3 entries. Positive identify and instructions to follow the first (type) might have been prevented by noting geographic locations such as the troutdale airport. Greater crew awareness and vigilance would have led to questioning of the exact location and identify of traffic to follow.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW FOLLOWING WRONG ACFT ON VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: ON VECTORS TO PDX 28R, WE WERE GIVEN TFC 'JUST ENTERING THE RIVER...(TYPE).' MY F/O AND I IDENTED AN MLG AND ASKED FOR VERIFICATION; 'IS THAT OUR TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK?', AND RECEIVED AN AFFIRMATIVE ANSWER AND DIRECTIONS TO FOLLOW. A FEW MINS LATER IN THE APCH, WE HAD CONTINUED TO SEARCH FOR TFC AND SAW ANOTHER ACFT (SAME TYPE). AT THAT TIME APCH QUESTIONED IF WE HAD OUR TFC IN SIGHT. APCH HAD INCORRECTLY TOLD US TO FOLLOW THE TFC WE IDENTED INITIALLY. TO AVOID ANY FURTHER CLOSURE, WE PULLED UP AND CONTINUED SBND, AND REQUESTED VECTORS AND ALTS FROM APCH, WHICH WE RECEIVED PROMPTLY. I ESTIMATED OUR CLOSEST APCH TO THE SECOND MLG AS 1 1/2 MI AND 1000' VERT SEP. PREVENTION: THE INITIAL TFC DESCRIPTION AS 'ENTERING THE RIVER' CAN BE MISLEADING--THERE ARE 3 ENTRIES. POSITIVE IDENT AND INSTRUCTIONS TO FOLLOW THE FIRST (TYPE) MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY NOTING GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS SUCH AS THE TROUTDALE ARPT. GREATER CREW AWARENESS AND VIGILANCE WOULD HAVE LED TO QUESTIONING OF THE EXACT LOCATION AND IDENT OF TFC TO FOLLOW.

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.