Narrative:

The flight began at ontario, ca, en route to lax. We intercepted the runway 25L localizer shortly after departure from ontario and climbed to 4000 ft MSL. Upon contact with lax approach they pointed out traffic to follow, an medium large transport at 12 O'clock at 8000 ft MSL. We looked up and saw an airplane above and ahead. We reported it in sight. We were cleared for the visual to runway 25R, the medium large transport was for runway 25L. We must have been looking at the wrong airplane. We passed our airplane thinking we were following the plane ahead of our airplane. All airplanes landed without difficulties.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SPD DEV IN A NIGHT VISUAL APCH AFTER TA GIVEN AND WRONG TFC SIGHTED. NON ADHERENCE TO ATC CLRNC INSTRUCTION.

Narrative: THE FLT BEGAN AT ONTARIO, CA, ENRTE TO LAX. WE INTERCEPTED THE RWY 25L LOC SHORTLY AFTER DEP FROM ONTARIO AND CLBED TO 4000 FT MSL. UPON CONTACT WITH LAX APCH THEY POINTED OUT TFC TO FOLLOW, AN MLG AT 12 O'CLOCK AT 8000 FT MSL. WE LOOKED UP AND SAW AN AIRPLANE ABOVE AND AHEAD. WE RPTED IT IN SIGHT. WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 25R, THE MLG WAS FOR RWY 25L. WE MUST HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT THE WRONG AIRPLANE. WE PASSED OUR AIRPLANE THINKING WE WERE FOLLOWING THE PLANE AHEAD OF OUR AIRPLANE. ALL AIRPLANES LANDED WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES.

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.