Narrative:

During night approach into buffalo, ny, we were picking up conflicting traffic on TCASII while at 3000 ft (within 1 NM) with no altitude information on traffic. At same time, approach tried to descend us to 2300 ft and turn us at traffic (approach did not have traffic). After TCASII traffic passed we descended and were given vectors across final (short final) and when asked if we had visual on airport. We saw airport initially and approach cleared us for visual approach and contact tower. Shortly thereafter we lost airport in the city lights and recontacted approach for vector. During this time, we descended to 1900 ft from 2300 ft. Approach control noticed our lower than vectoring altitude and we climbed back to 2300 ft, got a new vector and proceeded visually to airport and landed without further problem. The main problem was that approach was too quick at night to get rid of us (and we let them for 5-10 seconds). The vectoring to visual placed us high on final 90-120 degrees to runway, too close in. Add operation at night with all the backgnd lights and converging TCASII traffic, and you can easily get disoriented to airport.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CREW SUFFERS DISORIENTATION AND ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION DURING RADAR VECTORING AND CLRNC FOR VISUAL APCH DURING NIGHT OP. LOST THE ARPT.

Narrative: DURING NIGHT APCH INTO BUFFALO, NY, WE WERE PICKING UP CONFLICTING TFC ON TCASII WHILE AT 3000 FT (WITHIN 1 NM) WITH NO ALT INFO ON TFC. AT SAME TIME, APCH TRIED TO DSND US TO 2300 FT AND TURN US AT TFC (APCH DID NOT HAVE TFC). AFTER TCASII TFC PASSED WE DSNDED AND WERE GIVEN VECTORS ACROSS FINAL (SHORT FINAL) AND WHEN ASKED IF WE HAD VISUAL ON ARPT. WE SAW ARPT INITIALLY AND APCH CLRED US FOR VISUAL APCH AND CONTACT TWR. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE LOST ARPT IN THE CITY LIGHTS AND RECONTACTED APCH FOR VECTOR. DURING THIS TIME, WE DSNDED TO 1900 FT FROM 2300 FT. APCH CTL NOTICED OUR LOWER THAN VECTORING ALT AND WE CLBED BACK TO 2300 FT, GOT A NEW VECTOR AND PROCEEDED VISUALLY TO ARPT AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER PROBLEM. THE MAIN PROBLEM WAS THAT APCH WAS TOO QUICK AT NIGHT TO GET RID OF US (AND WE LET THEM FOR 5-10 SECONDS). THE VECTORING TO VISUAL PLACED US HIGH ON FINAL 90-120 DEGS TO RWY, TOO CLOSE IN. ADD OP AT NIGHT WITH ALL THE BACKGND LIGHTS AND CONVERGING TCASII TFC, AND YOU CAN EASILY GET DISORIENTED TO ARPT.

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.