Air carrier returning to land after a bird strike follows the wrong aircraft in the traffic pattern.

Attributes
ACN	450551
Time
Date	199909
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iah.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon tower : iah.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-500
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial climbout : takeoff descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : i90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	450551
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : birds non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 750 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing, we ingested birds in both engines. After consulting with our dispatch and maintenance control, I decided a return to iah was the best course of action. I did not declare an emergency. We were then vectored for a visual approach. On downwind, we were asked if we saw our company MD80. We did, and were cleared for a visual approach behind the MD80. After turning final, I was asked by ATC for fuel and souls on board. When I looked down to find the information, we received a TA TCASII advisory. We had traffic 1000 ft above (descending). Simultaneously we received an immediate left turn to 180 degrees by ATC. We never received a TCASII RA. Once on the ground, I spoke with the controller, and he said we never broached our 1000 ft separation. I believe today that we never saw the correct MD80 and followed the wrong aircraft to the runway (first not second MD80. Contributing factors to this incident were a long 4 day trip with many minor but tiring issues, the last being the bird strike. I do feel fatigue played a role in this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR RETURNING TO LAND AFTER A BIRD STRIKE FOLLOWS THE WRONG ACFT IN THE TFC PATTERN.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING, WE INGESTED BIRDS IN BOTH ENGS. AFTER CONSULTING WITH OUR DISPATCH AND MAINT CTL, I DECIDED A RETURN TO IAH WAS THE BEST COURSE OF ACTION. I DID NOT DECLARE AN EMER. WE WERE THEN VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH. ON DOWNWIND, WE WERE ASKED IF WE SAW OUR COMPANY MD80. WE DID, AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH BEHIND THE MD80. AFTER TURNING FINAL, I WAS ASKED BY ATC FOR FUEL AND SOULS ON BOARD. WHEN I LOOKED DOWN TO FIND THE INFO, WE RECEIVED A TA TCASII ADVISORY. WE HAD TFC 1000 FT ABOVE (DSNDING). SIMULTANEOUSLY WE RECEIVED AN IMMEDIATE L TURN TO 180 DEGS BY ATC. WE NEVER RECEIVED A TCASII RA. ONCE ON THE GND, I SPOKE WITH THE CTLR, AND HE SAID WE NEVER BROACHED OUR 1000 FT SEPARATION. I BELIEVE TODAY THAT WE NEVER SAW THE CORRECT MD80 AND FOLLOWED THE WRONG ACFT TO THE RWY (FIRST NOT SECOND MD80. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS INCIDENT WERE A LONG 4 DAY TRIP WITH MANY MINOR BUT TIRING ISSUES, THE LAST BEING THE BIRD STRIKE. I DO FEEL FATIGUE PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS 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.