Visual approach in marginal conditions, traffic advisory given, 2 aircraft in the same area.

Attributes
ACN	94698
Time
Date	198809
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : san
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : san
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
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 : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	94698
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 8000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Landing to the west at lindbergh. On an extended downwind, about 10 mi east of the airport, approach controller pointed out traffic at 2 O'clock for us to follow on visual approach. At about 1/2 way through the base turn, approach control called us again to point out traffic which we were to follow (a coast guard plane). It was then that we saw the coast guard which was not the first aircraft that was seen at 2 O'clock. Cost guard was then about 2 O'clock and 1-2 mi about 500' below us. We had to stop turn, fly south through the localizer and make a big s-turn at slow speed in order to get proper spacing behind coast guard. I am convinced that approach controller pointed out wrong aircraft for us to follow initially because I later called approach control and aircraft for us to follow initially because I later called approach control and learned that the coast guard aircraft had been vectored to intercept the localizer from the south side. Visibility was marginal east of airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL APCH IN MARGINAL CONDITIONS, TRAFFIC ADVISORY GIVEN, 2 ACFT IN THE SAME AREA.

Narrative: LNDG TO THE W AT LINDBERGH. ON AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND, ABOUT 10 MI E OF THE ARPT, APCH CTLR POINTED OUT TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK FOR US TO FOLLOW ON VISUAL APCH. AT ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE BASE TURN, APCH CTL CALLED US AGAIN TO POINT OUT TFC WHICH WE WERE TO FOLLOW (A COAST GUARD PLANE). IT WAS THEN THAT WE SAW THE COAST GUARD WHICH WAS NOT THE FIRST ACFT THAT WAS SEEN AT 2 O'CLOCK. COST GUARD WAS THEN ABOUT 2 O'CLOCK AND 1-2 MI ABOUT 500' BELOW US. WE HAD TO STOP TURN, FLY S THROUGH THE LOC AND MAKE A BIG S-TURN AT SLOW SPD IN ORDER TO GET PROPER SPACING BEHIND COAST GUARD. I AM CONVINCED THAT APCH CTLR POINTED OUT WRONG ACFT FOR US TO FOLLOW INITIALLY BECAUSE I LATER CALLED APCH CTL AND ACFT FOR US TO FOLLOW INITIALLY BECAUSE I LATER CALLED APCH CTL AND LEARNED THAT THE COAST GUARD ACFT HAD BEEN VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC FROM THE S SIDE. VIS WAS MARGINAL E OF ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.