Narrative:

Cleared the sdf DME runway 19 circle to runway 1 behind an air carrier Y B727. Advised by approach and tower #2 behind air carrier Y. No other TA's given to us during the approach. Just as I was turning final, descending through 6300 ft MSL, TCASII alerted 'traffic' (no targets had previously been observed on the TCASII). A target without altitude information was close enough to give a TA alert. At the same time a light aircraft (BE35) was seen passing under our nose 200-300 ft, right to left. I rolled out to allow the aircraft to pass to our left, and to remain clear and behind the other aircraft. Tower was questioned and advised us that the aircraft's pilot had us in sight and was following our aircraft. The other aircraft was now ahead and to our left. Tower advised him something in spanish and then advised us that he was doing a 360 degree turn to the left and for us to continue to runway 1. An uneventful landing was made. Per a telephone conversation with tower, I found out that the aircraft was a BE35. Although the conversation was somewhat difficult due to the normal language troubles, I determined that the tower had advised the other aircraft of us (but not vice versa) and since he had called us in sight and was cleared to follow us, they were not concerned about the closeness. I believe that the pilot had 'spotted' air carrier Y, also a B727, and was not aware of us until we questioned tower about another aircraft and his intentions. Bottom line: even in radar and communications contact in a foreign country you may be on your own!

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC BTWN A B727 TURNING FINAL AND A BE35, XING UNDERNEATH TO FOLLOW ANOTHER B727 ON FINAL MISTAKEN FOR THE RPTR'S ACFT. SUBSEQUENT CONVERSATION WITH TWR REVEALED THAT THE TWR HAD CLRED THE BE35 TO FOLLOW RPTR AND THAT THE BE35 PLT HAD THE B727 IN SIGHT. HOWEVER, IT WAS THE WRONG ONE.

Narrative: CLRED THE SDF DME RWY 19 CIRCLE TO RWY 1 BEHIND AN ACR Y B727. ADVISED BY APCH AND TWR #2 BEHIND ACR Y. NO OTHER TA'S GIVEN TO US DURING THE APCH. JUST AS I WAS TURNING FINAL, DSNDING THROUGH 6300 FT MSL, TCASII ALERTED 'TFC' (NO TARGETS HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN OBSERVED ON THE TCASII). A TARGET WITHOUT ALT INFO WAS CLOSE ENOUGH TO GIVE A TA ALERT. AT THE SAME TIME A LIGHT ACFT (BE35) WAS SEEN PASSING UNDER OUR NOSE 200-300 FT, R TO L. I ROLLED OUT TO ALLOW THE ACFT TO PASS TO OUR L, AND TO REMAIN CLR AND BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT. TWR WAS QUESTIONED AND ADVISED US THAT THE ACFT'S PLT HAD US IN SIGHT AND WAS FOLLOWING OUR ACFT. THE OTHER ACFT WAS NOW AHEAD AND TO OUR L. TWR ADVISED HIM SOMETHING IN SPANISH AND THEN ADVISED US THAT HE WAS DOING A 360 DEG TURN TO THE L AND FOR US TO CONTINUE TO RWY 1. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. PER A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH TWR, I FOUND OUT THAT THE ACFT WAS A BE35. ALTHOUGH THE CONVERSATION WAS SOMEWHAT DIFFICULT DUE TO THE NORMAL LANGUAGE TROUBLES, I DETERMINED THAT THE TWR HAD ADVISED THE OTHER ACFT OF US (BUT NOT VICE VERSA) AND SINCE HE HAD CALLED US IN SIGHT AND WAS CLRED TO FOLLOW US, THEY WERE NOT CONCERNED ABOUT THE CLOSENESS. I BELIEVE THAT THE PLT HAD 'SPOTTED' ACR Y, ALSO A B727, AND WAS NOT AWARE OF US UNTIL WE QUESTIONED TWR ABOUT ANOTHER ACFT AND HIS INTENTIONS. BOTTOM LINE: EVEN IN RADAR AND COMS CONTACT IN A FOREIGN COUNTRY YOU MAY BE ON YOUR OWN!

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.