Potential conflict after TA given and traffic sighted.

Attributes
ACN	270245
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 2300 flight time total : 17500 flight time type : 220
ASRS Report	270244
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 180
ASRS Report	270245
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : exited adverse environment flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While being vectored for approach to lga, on a downwind leg about 11 mi out we were given a turn toward airport. Traffic to follow at 1 O'clock, we asked if it was an airline's. The controller said, 'yes, follow him visually to airport for runway 22.' shortly, he asked if we had traffic in sight. Again, we said yes. While turning to final, we saw another airline's aircraft and turned to avoid him. Controller gave us a climb to 3000 ft and heading 270 degrees. Obviously, the controller should not have called a clock position on aircraft to follow while we were in a turn. Also, we should have been informed that there were 2 aircraft of same company and type in our vicinity. We were following the wrong aircraft. TCASII really helps.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POTENTIAL CONFLICT AFTER TA GIVEN AND TFC SIGHTED.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR APCH TO LGA, ON A DOWNWIND LEG ABOUT 11 MI OUT WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TOWARD ARPT. TFC TO FOLLOW AT 1 O'CLOCK, WE ASKED IF IT WAS AN AIRLINE'S. THE CTLR SAID, 'YES, FOLLOW HIM VISUALLY TO ARPT FOR RWY 22.' SHORTLY, HE ASKED IF WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT. AGAIN, WE SAID YES. WHILE TURNING TO FINAL, WE SAW ANOTHER AIRLINE'S ACFT AND TURNED TO AVOID HIM. CTLR GAVE US A CLB TO 3000 FT AND HDG 270 DEGS. OBVIOUSLY, THE CTLR SHOULD NOT HAVE CALLED A CLOCK POS ON ACFT TO FOLLOW WHILE WE WERE IN A TURN. ALSO, WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT THERE WERE 2 ACFT OF SAME COMPANY AND TYPE IN OUR VICINITY. WE WERE FOLLOWING THE WRONG ACFT. TCASII REALLY HELPS.

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.