An air carrier large transport crew responded to a TCASII alert in the visual traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	234072
Time
Date	199302
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : phx
State Reference	AZ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : phx
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 7000
ASRS Report	234072
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 165 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 2800
ASRS Report	233654
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	vertical : 600
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Told by ATC to look for traffic at 11 O'clock. Believing we had traffic in sight, we were cleared for visual approach. TCASII alerted us to another aircraft, which we acquired visually and at the same time, received a TCASII RA. Believe this second aircraft was the one ATC intended for us to follow. Believe TCASII prevented an unhealthy situation from developing. We may have been in a turn when the '11 O'clock' call was received. Believe ATC is often too quick to offer, and we are too quick to accept, visual approach clearance to follow traffic. My thinking regarding the acceptance of these clrncs in the future has been affected by this event. Supplemental information from acn 233654: the RA commanded approximately 200 FPM rate of climb. Complied with same. The aircraft we saw and followed was not the correct aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LGT CREW RESPONDED TO A TCASII ALERT IN THE VISUAL TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: TOLD BY ATC TO LOOK FOR TFC AT 11 O'CLOCK. BELIEVING WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT, WE WERE CLRED FOR VISUAL APCH. TCASII ALERTED US TO ANOTHER ACFT, WHICH WE ACQUIRED VISUALLY AND AT THE SAME TIME, RECEIVED A TCASII RA. BELIEVE THIS SECOND ACFT WAS THE ONE ATC INTENDED FOR US TO FOLLOW. BELIEVE TCASII PREVENTED AN UNHEALTHY SIT FROM DEVELOPING. WE MAY HAVE BEEN IN A TURN WHEN THE '11 O'CLOCK' CALL WAS RECEIVED. BELIEVE ATC IS OFTEN TOO QUICK TO OFFER, AND WE ARE TOO QUICK TO ACCEPT, VISUAL APCH CLRNC TO FOLLOW TFC. MY THINKING REGARDING THE ACCEPTANCE OF THESE CLRNCS IN THE FUTURE HAS BEEN AFFECTED BY THIS EVENT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 233654: THE RA COMMANDED APPROX 200 FPM RATE OF CLB. COMPLIED WITH SAME. THE ACFT WE SAW AND FOLLOWED WAS NOT THE CORRECT ACFT.

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.