An air carrier large transport X flight crew on a visual approach to mia spotted the wrong traffic. The error was caught by the controller.

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Attributes
ACN	203277
Time
Date	199202
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mia
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	203277
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On an approach to runway 30 at mia we were given a turn to 070 degree - a modified base leg. As we descended from 7000 ft to 3000 ft, ATC asked if we had a foreign carrier, large transport Y, in sight, as well as the airport. We had the airport. ATC stated the other carrier Y was crossing the 'shoreline.' we spotted an aircraft crossing the shoreline of the harbor, so we called the traffic in sight. We were cleared for a visual approach to 30. A min later, approach called traffic 12 O'clock on an intercepting flight path. We were cleared to overshoot the final approach path and 'south' turn behind air carrier large transport Y on the visual to 30. Confusion resulted from the term 'shoreline.' the controller apparently meant the ocean shoreline with the key island, while we all looked at the mainland harbor shoreline. Since we saw traffic over the harbor shoreline, we called traffic in sight. If the controller had called an 'O'clock' and ocean/island shoreline on DME, a potential conflict may have been avoided. We avoided all conflicts and landed without incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT X FLC ON A VISUAL APCH TO MIA SPOTTED THE WRONG TFC. THE ERROR WAS CAUGHT BY THE CTLR.

Narrative: ON AN APCH TO RWY 30 AT MIA WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO 070 DEG - A MODIFIED BASE LEG. AS WE DSNDED FROM 7000 FT TO 3000 FT, ATC ASKED IF WE HAD A FOREIGN CARRIER, LGT Y, IN SIGHT, AS WELL AS THE ARPT. WE HAD THE ARPT. ATC STATED THE OTHER CARRIER Y WAS XING THE 'SHORELINE.' WE SPOTTED AN ACFT XING THE SHORELINE OF THE HARBOR, SO WE CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 30. A MIN LATER, APCH CALLED TFC 12 O'CLOCK ON AN INTERCEPTING FLT PATH. WE WERE CLRED TO OVERSHOOT THE FINAL APCH PATH AND 'S' TURN BEHIND ACR LGT Y ON THE VISUAL TO 30. CONFUSION RESULTED FROM THE TERM 'SHORELINE.' THE CTLR APPARENTLY MEANT THE OCEAN SHORELINE WITH THE KEY ISLAND, WHILE WE ALL LOOKED AT THE MAINLAND HARBOR SHORELINE. SINCE WE SAW TFC OVER THE HARBOR SHORELINE, WE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. IF THE CTLR HAD CALLED AN 'O'CLOCK' AND OCEAN/ISLAND SHORELINE ON DME, A POTENTIAL CONFLICT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. WE AVOIDED ALL CONFLICTS AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

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.