Narrative:

During the arrival phase of flight to phx, air carrier X was given a radar vector by phx approach control that positioned us on a downwind to runway 26 at 8000'. Approach control advised us that we were to plan a visibility approach to runway 26R and we were told follow an air carrier Y medium large transport. While following his radar vectors for runway 26R, the controller continually asked us if we saw air carrier Y. We advised him we did not have visibility contact with air carrier Y. He positioned us on a base turn to runway 26 at approximately 4-5 mi from the airport and told us to contact tower. While changing frequencys, I then saw air carrier Y in front of us at approximately 1 1/2-2 mi and approximately 500-800' below our altitude. We followed in behind the air carrier Y and maintained visibility sep from him as previously directed by phx approach control. Our horizontal spacing was in question to allow air carrier Y to land and clear the runway in time to allow us to land behind him. At the same time, it appeared air carrier Y was aligned for runway 26L and not 26R. I contacted phx tower and asked which runway air carrier Y was landing, and tower responded and clarified the situation that air carrier Y was for runway 26L and we to land runway 26R. We advised tower that we were maneuvering for runway 26R and tower cleared us to land on runway 26R. No further comments were exchanged between us and phx tower. A normal landing was accomplished to runway 26R. I feel the situation could have been eliminated and clarified if the phx approach controller would have advised us that air carrier Y was to land runway 26L and we were to land runway 26R instead of leading us to believe we were to follow air carrier Y to runway 26R.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM ACR Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: DURING THE ARR PHASE OF FLT TO PHX, ACR X WAS GIVEN A RADAR VECTOR BY PHX APCH CTL THAT POSITIONED US ON A DOWNWIND TO RWY 26 AT 8000'. APCH CTL ADVISED US THAT WE WERE TO PLAN A VIS APCH TO RWY 26R AND WE WERE TOLD FOLLOW AN ACR Y MLG. WHILE FOLLOWING HIS RADAR VECTORS FOR RWY 26R, THE CTLR CONTINUALLY ASKED US IF WE SAW ACR Y. WE ADVISED HIM WE DID NOT HAVE VIS CONTACT WITH ACR Y. HE POSITIONED US ON A BASE TURN TO RWY 26 AT APPROX 4-5 MI FROM THE ARPT AND TOLD US TO CONTACT TWR. WHILE CHANGING FREQS, I THEN SAW ACR Y IN FRONT OF US AT APPROX 1 1/2-2 MI AND APPROX 500-800' BELOW OUR ALT. WE FOLLOWED IN BEHIND THE ACR Y AND MAINTAINED VIS SEP FROM HIM AS PREVIOUSLY DIRECTED BY PHX APCH CTL. OUR HORIZONTAL SPACING WAS IN QUESTION TO ALLOW ACR Y TO LAND AND CLR THE RWY IN TIME TO ALLOW US TO LAND BEHIND HIM. AT THE SAME TIME, IT APPEARED ACR Y WAS ALIGNED FOR RWY 26L AND NOT 26R. I CONTACTED PHX TWR AND ASKED WHICH RWY ACR Y WAS LNDG, AND TWR RESPONDED AND CLARIFIED THE SITUATION THAT ACR Y WAS FOR RWY 26L AND WE TO LAND RWY 26R. WE ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE MANEUVERING FOR RWY 26R AND TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 26R. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE EXCHANGED BTWN US AND PHX TWR. A NORMAL LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED TO RWY 26R. I FEEL THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN ELIMINATED AND CLARIFIED IF THE PHX APCH CTLR WOULD HAVE ADVISED US THAT ACR Y WAS TO LAND RWY 26L AND WE WERE TO LAND RWY 26R INSTEAD OF LEADING US TO BELIEVE WE WERE TO FOLLOW ACR Y TO RWY 26R.

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.