Flight crew of light transport caused a near midair collision when they mistakely followed the wrong aircraft on a visual approach.

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Attributes
ACN	271186
Time
Date	199405
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cle
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cle
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Xingu EMB-121 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Dassault-Breguet Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	271186
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	unspecified : 1200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Further clearance instructed us to turn to 280 degrees and descend to 4000 ft. As we passed through 300 degrees or so, I spotted an aircraft descending through the horizontal heading towards the airport. I called out traffic to approach who cleared us to follow traffic to runway 5 and cleared visual to 5R. At an altitude close to 3000 ft, and close to the OM. Approach told us we were gaining on traffic and to switch to 5L. A falcon was then heard on the radio, 'aircraft passed 50 yards in front of our and we're passing through his wake turbulence.' ATC tapes indicated that we were to follow a falcon, but we misunderstood and followed a B737. Tapes show we were .2 of a mi in proximity. Cavu WX, but close to dusk, we were enjoying the flight. Can't explain the error. What I saw, the B737, seemed to be the obvious choice of aircraft to follow judging by its proximity and direction. A beautiful day in total smooth air, lack of congestion at hopkins, put us in the casual mode. A lack of diligence had occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF LTT CAUSED A NMAC WHEN THEY MISTAKELY FOLLOWED THE WRONG ACFT ON A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: FURTHER CLRNC INSTRUCTED US TO TURN TO 280 DEGS AND DSND TO 4000 FT. AS WE PASSED THROUGH 300 DEGS OR SO, I SPOTTED AN ACFT DSNDING THROUGH THE HORIZ HDG TOWARDS THE ARPT. I CALLED OUT TFC TO APCH WHO CLRED US TO FOLLOW TFC TO RWY 5 AND CLRED VISUAL TO 5R. AT AN ALT CLOSE TO 3000 FT, AND CLOSE TO THE OM. APCH TOLD US WE WERE GAINING ON TFC AND TO SWITCH TO 5L. A FALCON WAS THEN HEARD ON THE RADIO, 'ACFT PASSED 50 YARDS IN FRONT OF OUR AND WE'RE PASSING THROUGH HIS WAKE TURB.' ATC TAPES INDICATED THAT WE WERE TO FOLLOW A FALCON, BUT WE MISUNDERSTOOD AND FOLLOWED A B737. TAPES SHOW WE WERE .2 OF A MI IN PROX. CAVU WX, BUT CLOSE TO DUSK, WE WERE ENJOYING THE FLT. CAN'T EXPLAIN THE ERROR. WHAT I SAW, THE B737, SEEMED TO BE THE OBVIOUS CHOICE OF ACFT TO FOLLOW JUDGING BY ITS PROX AND DIRECTION. A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN TOTAL SMOOTH AIR, LACK OF CONGESTION AT HOPKINS, PUT US IN THE CASUAL MODE. A LACK OF DILIGENCE HAD OCCURRED.

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.