Narrative:

I was approaching atl from the wnw on an IFR flight plan receiving vectors for runway 26R. I was heading approximately 90 degrees when the controller pointed out a DC9 at my 3 O'clock position which would be my traffic to follow. The controller then issued a vector of 180 degrees and 240 degrees for the final approach to runway 26R. After turning to a heading of approximately 200 degrees, I observed a DC9 at my 11 O'clock position that I thought could be on final approach to runway 26R. I discontinued my turn to keep the traffic in sight. My immediate concerns were: 1) I/controller had misidented the traffic I was to follow. 2) the controller had made a mistake about following traffic. Due to my close proximity to the runway 26R final approach course, I flew through the course heading ssw. The controller issued an immediate vector to 330 degrees to rejoin the runway 26R final approach course. At this time I realized the DC9 was on final approach to runway 27L (approximately 1 mi to the south). Due to the close proximity of the approach courses of runway 26R and runway 27L in conjunction with the early morning haze, I believe this situation could have been avoided by the controller issuing a TA for traffic on the parallel final approach course. I think this would be especially important given that the traffic I was following and the traffic on the parallel course were identical. This situation would have been avoided, had I ignored the traffic which I believed was a conflict, turned to the inbound course and immediately questioned the controller. This was probably the best solution but I don't recall if I had an opportunity given the radio traffic at the time. I know my instincts were to keep the conflicting traffic in view.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX D208 PLT FOLLOWS THE WRONG TFC TO RWY 27L DURING THIS TURN TOWARDS THE ASSIGNED HDG FOR ILS RWY 26R AT ATL, GA.

Narrative: I WAS APCHING ATL FROM THE WNW ON AN IFR FLT PLAN RECEIVING VECTORS FOR RWY 26R. I WAS HDG APPROX 90 DEGS WHEN THE CTLR POINTED OUT A DC9 AT MY 3 O'CLOCK POS WHICH WOULD BE MY TFC TO FOLLOW. THE CTLR THEN ISSUED A VECTOR OF 180 DEGS AND 240 DEGS FOR THE FINAL APCH TO RWY 26R. AFTER TURNING TO A HDG OF APPROX 200 DEGS, I OBSERVED A DC9 AT MY 11 O'CLOCK POS THAT I THOUGHT COULD BE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 26R. I DISCONTINUED MY TURN TO KEEP THE TFC IN SIGHT. MY IMMEDIATE CONCERNS WERE: 1) I/CTLR HAD MISIDENTED THE TFC I WAS TO FOLLOW. 2) THE CTLR HAD MADE A MISTAKE ABOUT FOLLOWING TFC. DUE TO MY CLOSE PROX TO THE RWY 26R FINAL APCH COURSE, I FLEW THROUGH THE COURSE HDG SSW. THE CTLR ISSUED AN IMMEDIATE VECTOR TO 330 DEGS TO REJOIN THE RWY 26R FINAL APCH COURSE. AT THIS TIME I REALIZED THE DC9 WAS ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 27L (APPROX 1 MI TO THE S). DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE APCH COURSES OF RWY 26R AND RWY 27L IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE EARLY MORNING HAZE, I BELIEVE THIS SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY THE CTLR ISSUING A TA FOR TFC ON THE PARALLEL FINAL APCH COURSE. I THINK THIS WOULD BE ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT GIVEN THAT THE TFC I WAS FOLLOWING AND THE TFC ON THE PARALLEL COURSE WERE IDENTICAL. THIS SIT WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED, HAD I IGNORED THE TFC WHICH I BELIEVED WAS A CONFLICT, TURNED TO THE INBOUND COURSE AND IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED THE CTLR. THIS WAS PROBABLY THE BEST SOLUTION BUT I DON'T RECALL IF I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY GIVEN THE RADIO TFC AT THE TIME. I KNOW MY INSTINCTS WERE TO KEEP THE CONFLICTING TFC IN VIEW.

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.