Narrative:

We were on radar vectors from approach control from the north for runway 28. Altitude 2100' MSL, 200 KIAS headed toward kinte NDB. We were #2 for the runway following another aircraft flying direct to the airport from the west. Approach called out the traffic, which we called in sight. Approach instructed us to follow the traffic visually, cleared visibility approach and to contact tower. In the process of configuring our aircraft for the landing and turning back to the northeast to intercept the localizer (which we had overshot), we lost visibility with the traffic. We asked the tower about our spacing with the traffic and were informed that traffic was no factor, and we were cleared to land. We descended to 1200' AGL while attempting to acquire visibility contact with the runway. When the runway was picked up visually, we were too far right to continue the approach. Overflew the airport and climbed to 2000' MSL. Flew northeast of the airport with tower. Maneuvered back around for a 4 NM visibility approach and landing to runway 19. In retrospect, when we lost contact with our traffic we should have immediately returned to approach control for vectors to final. In fact, we should have stayed with approach until we had a good visibility with the runway. Contributing factors: very dim runway lights setting in relation to surrounding bright city lighting. Overeagerness of approach control to hand us off visually to tower, and our willingness to accept this handoff.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF ACR MLG ON VISUAL APCH INTO MSY LOSES SIGHT OF TRAFFIC TO FOLLOW AND NEVER ACQUIRES VISUAL SIGHTING OF ARPT, THUS OVERFLYING ARPT AND NEEDING VECTOR FOR ANOTHER APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE ON RADAR VECTORS FROM APCH CTL FROM THE N FOR RWY 28. ALT 2100' MSL, 200 KIAS HEADED TOWARD KINTE NDB. WE WERE #2 FOR THE RWY FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT FLYING DIRECT TO THE ARPT FROM THE W. APCH CALLED OUT THE TFC, WHICH WE CALLED IN SIGHT. APCH INSTRUCTED US TO FOLLOW THE TFC VISUALLY, CLRED VIS APCH AND TO CONTACT TWR. IN THE PROCESS OF CONFIGURING OUR ACFT FOR THE LNDG AND TURNING BACK TO THE NE TO INTERCEPT THE LOC (WHICH WE HAD OVERSHOT), WE LOST VIS WITH THE TFC. WE ASKED THE TWR ABOUT OUR SPACING WITH THE TFC AND WERE INFORMED THAT TFC WAS NO FACTOR, AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. WE DSNDED TO 1200' AGL WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACQUIRE VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY. WHEN THE RWY WAS PICKED UP VISUALLY, WE WERE TOO FAR RIGHT TO CONTINUE THE APCH. OVERFLEW THE ARPT AND CLBED TO 2000' MSL. FLEW NE OF THE ARPT WITH TWR. MANEUVERED BACK AROUND FOR A 4 NM VIS APCH AND LNDG TO RWY 19. IN RETROSPECT, WHEN WE LOST CONTACT WITH OUR TFC WE SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY RETURNED TO APCH CTL FOR VECTORS TO FINAL. IN FACT, WE SHOULD HAVE STAYED WITH APCH UNTIL WE HAD A GOOD VIS WITH THE RWY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: VERY DIM RWY LIGHTS SETTING IN RELATION TO SURROUNDING BRIGHT CITY LIGHTING. OVEREAGERNESS OF APCH CTL TO HAND US OFF VISUALLY TO TWR, AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT THIS HDOF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.