A B727 crew inbound to mem did not comply with controller's instruct to follow B727 for runway 18R.

Attributes
ACN	471663
Time
Date	200005
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mem.vortac
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 420
ASRS Report	471663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry conflict : airborne critical non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action none taken : insufficient time
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were on vectors, copilot flying, on a 90 degree intercept to final runway 18R mem. Approach asked us if we had our preceding traffic in sight. We said we were unsure. He said it was the 'southern most B727.' we said we had the traffic. He told us to follow him. Neither the copilot nor I heard him say either we were 'cleared approach' or 'cleared visual.' we both were expecting a 45 degree dogleg to final to intercept. At a 90 degree intercept we soon questioned ourselves as to whether we were cleared and decided to turn toward the runway. By now, even in the turn, we were encroaching onto runway 18L fin al approach course. At this point, the final controller told us to turn to an 'east heading' to depart the parallel approach course. We were subsequently vectored to a runway 18L landing. In reviewing the situation afterwards, neither the copilot nor I felt the 'follow that B727' was clearance for the approach and were expecting a further turn onto final for runway 18R. When we realized it wasn't coming, we immediately began a turn, but were then vectored on an easterly heading to deconflict with runway 18L traffic. Neither that traffic nor us had to take evasive action, but I feel it was too close for comfort. Not hearing a 'cleared for approach' or a 'cleared visual for wy 18R' call, we don't believe a 'follow that B727' was clearance for us to turn on course at that point.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW INBOUND TO MEM DID NOT COMPLY WITH CTLR'S INSTRUCT TO FOLLOW B727 FOR RWY 18R.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS, COPLT FLYING, ON A 90 DEG INTERCEPT TO FINAL RWY 18R MEM. APCH ASKED US IF WE HAD OUR PRECEDING TFC IN SIGHT. WE SAID WE WERE UNSURE. HE SAID IT WAS THE 'SOUTHERN MOST B727.' WE SAID WE HAD THE TFC. HE TOLD US TO FOLLOW HIM. NEITHER THE COPLT NOR I HEARD HIM SAY EITHER WE WERE 'CLRED APCH' OR 'CLRED VISUAL.' WE BOTH WERE EXPECTING A 45 DEG DOGLEG TO FINAL TO INTERCEPT. AT A 90 DEG INTERCEPT WE SOON QUESTIONED OURSELVES AS TO WHETHER WE WERE CLRED AND DECIDED TO TURN TOWARD THE RWY. BY NOW, EVEN IN THE TURN, WE WERE ENCROACHING ONTO RWY 18L FIN AL APCH COURSE. AT THIS POINT, THE FINAL CTLR TOLD US TO TURN TO AN 'E HDG' TO DEPART THE PARALLEL APCH COURSE. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY VECTORED TO A RWY 18L LNDG. IN REVIEWING THE SIT AFTERWARDS, NEITHER THE COPLT NOR I FELT THE 'FOLLOW THAT B727' WAS CLRNC FOR THE APCH AND WERE EXPECTING A FURTHER TURN ONTO FINAL FOR RWY 18R. WHEN WE REALIZED IT WASN'T COMING, WE IMMEDIATELY BEGAN A TURN, BUT WERE THEN VECTORED ON AN EASTERLY HDG TO DECONFLICT WITH RWY 18L TFC. NEITHER THAT TFC NOR US HAD TO TAKE EVASIVE ACTION, BUT I FEEL IT WAS TOO CLOSE FOR COMFORT. NOT HEARING A 'CLRED FOR APCH' OR A 'CLRED VISUAL FOR WY 18R' CALL, WE DON'T BELIEVE A 'FOLLOW THAT B727' WAS CLRNC FOR US TO TURN ON COURSE AT THAT POINT.

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.