Flight crew on air carrier light transport receives vector for localizer intercept and cleared visua...

Attributes
ACN	138067
Time
Date	199002
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7500 flight time type : 1160
ASRS Report	138067
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were descending to 5000' reducing airspeed from 180 KTS to 160 KTS vectors for approach. We did not have the airport in sight but the copilot saw our traffic, an medium large transport. We were cleared for the visual behind the medium large transport. Visibility on ground was 10 mi or so but less than 5 or 6 mi in the air. We were approximately 15 DME or better from the airport. We were told to turn to 230 degree and cleared visual behind the medium large transport. We lost the medium large transport in the haze. While looking for the medium large transport, we went 1 mi or so through the 26R localizer. Atlanta approach asked if we still had the medium large transport. We said no. We were told to turn to 310 heading intercept the localizer cleared for 26R approach. We were level 5000', did not descend out of 5000' until on the 26R approach. 27L planes were approximately 3500'. We did not come in conflict with any other planes. I feel that our minds were a little slow because of the 8 hour 40 min out of airplane for the overnight. This gave us 8 hour in the hotel and less than 6 hour sleep. Also being cleared for a visual approach when we did not have the airport in sight and having to look for and keep up with an airplane in marginal VMC conditions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW ON ACR LTT RECEIVES VECTOR FOR LOCALIZER INTERCEPT AND CLEARED VISUAL APCH BEHIND TRAFFIC. PIC DEVIATES FROM COURSE IN ATTEMPT TO SEE TRAFFIC.

Narrative: WE WERE DESCENDING TO 5000' REDUCING AIRSPEED FROM 180 KTS TO 160 KTS VECTORS FOR APCH. WE DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT BUT THE COPLT SAW OUR TFC, AN MLG. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL BEHIND THE MLG. VISIBILITY ON GND WAS 10 MI OR SO BUT LESS THAN 5 OR 6 MI IN THE AIR. WE WERE APPROX 15 DME OR BETTER FROM THE ARPT. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO 230 DEG AND CLRED VISUAL BEHIND THE MLG. WE LOST THE MLG IN THE HAZE. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE MLG, WE WENT 1 MI OR SO THROUGH THE 26R LOC. ATLANTA APCH ASKED IF WE STILL HAD THE MLG. WE SAID NO. WE WERE TOLD TO TURN TO 310 HDG INTERCEPT THE LOC CLRED FOR 26R APCH. WE WERE LEVEL 5000', DID NOT DSND OUT OF 5000' UNTIL ON THE 26R APCH. 27L PLANES WERE APPROX 3500'. WE DID NOT COME IN CONFLICT WITH ANY OTHER PLANES. I FEEL THAT OUR MINDS WERE A LITTLE SLOW BECAUSE OF THE 8 HR 40 MIN OUT OF AIRPLANE FOR THE OVERNIGHT. THIS GAVE US 8 HR IN THE HOTEL AND LESS THAN 6 HR SLEEP. ALSO BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH WHEN WE DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND HAVING TO LOOK FOR AND KEEP UP WITH AN AIRPLANE IN MARGINAL VMC CONDITIONS.

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.

Flight crew on air carrier light transport receives vector for localizer intercept and cleared visual approach behind traffic. PIC deviates from course in attempt to see traffic.