Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	289554
Time
Date	199411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : jfk
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	289554
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 10100 flight time type : 2400
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 2000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

On left base heading 040 degrees being vectored to intercept runway 31L localizer. Told approach we had traffic level at 1 O'clock and was that our traffic. Approach answer 'yes' that was the (air carrier Y) flight we were going to follow. As we continued, the traffic we were watching became discernable as a (air carrier Z) heavy jet. We were then concerned because we were approaching localizer and on a collision course with it and who turned out to be on the runway 31R localizer. TCASII showed a TA which confirmed our concern. At that point approach asked us if we were still on base. We replied 'yes.' approach said we had been cleared for a visual and to turn in to follow the commuter (air carrier Y). By now we had overshot the localizer and approach gave the heavy aircraft a turn away to solve the conflict. At no time had we received nor acknowledged any clearance for a visual approach until then.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR.

Narrative: ON L BASE HDG 040 DEGS BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT RWY 31L LOC. TOLD APCH WE HAD TFC LEVEL AT 1 O'CLOCK AND WAS THAT OUR TFC. APCH ANSWER 'YES' THAT WAS THE (ACR Y) FLT WE WERE GOING TO FOLLOW. AS WE CONTINUED, THE TFC WE WERE WATCHING BECAME DISCERNABLE AS A (ACR Z) HVY JET. WE WERE THEN CONCERNED BECAUSE WE WERE APCHING LOC AND ON A COLLISION COURSE WITH IT AND WHO TURNED OUT TO BE ON THE RWY 31R LOC. TCASII SHOWED A TA WHICH CONFIRMED OUR CONCERN. AT THAT POINT APCH ASKED US IF WE WERE STILL ON BASE. WE REPLIED 'YES.' APCH SAID WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL AND TO TURN IN TO FOLLOW THE COMMUTER (ACR Y). BY NOW WE HAD OVERSHOT THE LOC AND APCH GAVE THE HVY ACFT A TURN AWAY TO SOLVE THE CONFLICT. AT NO TIME HAD WE RECEIVED NOR ACKNOWLEDGED ANY CLRNC FOR A VISUAL APCH UNTIL THEN.

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.