Narrative:

10 mi out, straight in for runway 22 at lga, cleared for a visual approach, we were following the runway 22 ILS on centerline and GS, we noticed on TCASII what we thought was a helicopter (not uncommon at lga) at our 3 O'clock position and about 1 1/2-2 mi. We visually spotted an small transport light twin turboprop headed towards us on a collision course. Just as we started a climbing left turn to begin taking evasive action, the small transport made an immediate hard right turn and announced to the tower 'we followed the wrong air carrier, we're in a right turn' (or words to that effect). The tower replied, 'make a right 180 degree, no problem, I'll sequence you back for landing.' the tower did not seem concerned. This is not the first time aircraft on visual approachs at lga have followed the wrong aircraft for many reasons, not the least is the failure of approach/local to insure all pertinent traffic is pointed out (as 7110.65 requires) and observes the aircraft involved to be certain subject aircraft are following the proper aircraft when cleared for a visual approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A B727 RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT DURING FINAL ON ILS APCH AND THEN NOTICED A LIGHT TURBOPROP TWIN MAKING A BANKING TURN AWAY FROM THEM. AS THEY CONTINUED THE APCH, THEY HEARD THE OTHER ACFT PLT ADVISE THE TWR THEY HAD FOLLOWED THE WRONG ACR ACFT. NO FURTHER CONFLICT.

Narrative: 10 MI OUT, STRAIGHT IN FOR RWY 22 AT LGA, CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, WE WERE FOLLOWING THE RWY 22 ILS ON CTRLINE AND GS, WE NOTICED ON TCASII WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS A HELI (NOT UNCOMMON AT LGA) AT OUR 3 O'CLOCK POS AND ABOUT 1 1/2-2 MI. WE VISUALLY SPOTTED AN SMT LIGHT TWIN TURBOPROP HEADED TOWARDS US ON A COLLISION COURSE. JUST AS WE STARTED A CLBING L TURN TO BEGIN TAKING EVASIVE ACTION, THE SMT MADE AN IMMEDIATE HARD R TURN AND ANNOUNCED TO THE TWR 'WE FOLLOWED THE WRONG ACR, WE'RE IN A R TURN' (OR WORDS TO THAT EFFECT). THE TWR REPLIED, 'MAKE A R 180 DEG, NO PROB, I'LL SEQUENCE YOU BACK FOR LNDG.' THE TWR DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME ACFT ON VISUAL APCHS AT LGA HAVE FOLLOWED THE WRONG ACFT FOR MANY REASONS, NOT THE LEAST IS THE FAILURE OF APCH/LCL TO INSURE ALL PERTINENT TFC IS POINTED OUT (AS 7110.65 REQUIRES) AND OBSERVES THE ACFT INVOLVED TO BE CERTAIN SUBJECT ACFT ARE FOLLOWING THE PROPER ACFT WHEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH.

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.