B727 crew followed wrong aircraft on the visual at tjsj.

Attributes
ACN	465470
Time
Date	200003
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : tjsj.airport
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
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 : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 220 flight time total : 11800 flight time type : 8500
ASRS Report	465470
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 4300 flight time type : 2600
ASRS Report	465589
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance
Miss Distance	horizontal : 36000
Supplementary
Problem Areas	FAA Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On mar/xa/00 at about XA50Z we were inbound from st kitts to sju, pr. ZSU handed us off to sju approach control (120.9). Once we got in the traffic area they handed us off to 119.4. Midfield down runway 10 contact was made for a visual into runway 10 which was denied due to traffic. Our heading was 280 degrees. The controller then gave us a heading of 330 degrees down to 2000 ft. 12 mi out of sju, advised us of traffic (B757). The first officer and flight engineer saw traffic 1-2 O'clock position, which appeared to them to be a B757. Initial contact was made then lost due to clouds then spotted again. At that point, we called out traffic and were cleared for the lagoon visual runway 8 approach behind the B757. We then turned to follow what appeared to be the traffic we were supposed to follow in. Approach control then radioed that we were following the wrong aircraft. At that time we spotted the B757 we were originally supposed to follow. We then made immediate maneuvers to avoid any kind of incident with any aircraft with the help of the controller. We never came any closer than 6 or 7 mi of any aircraft and believe that having TCASII would have avoided this situation entirely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 CREW FOLLOWED WRONG ACFT ON THE VISUAL AT TJSJ.

Narrative: ON MAR/XA/00 AT ABOUT XA50Z WE WERE INBOUND FROM ST KITTS TO SJU, PR. ZSU HANDED US OFF TO SJU APCH CTL (120.9). ONCE WE GOT IN THE TFC AREA THEY HANDED US OFF TO 119.4. MIDFIELD DOWN RWY 10 CONTACT WAS MADE FOR A VISUAL INTO RWY 10 WHICH WAS DENIED DUE TO TFC. OUR HDG WAS 280 DEGS. THE CTLR THEN GAVE US A HDG OF 330 DEGS DOWN TO 2000 FT. 12 MI OUT OF SJU, ADVISED US OF TFC (B757). THE FO AND FE SAW TFC 1-2 O'CLOCK POS, WHICH APPEARED TO THEM TO BE A B757. INITIAL CONTACT WAS MADE THEN LOST DUE TO CLOUDS THEN SPOTTED AGAIN. AT THAT POINT, WE CALLED OUT TFC AND WERE CLRED FOR THE LAGOON VISUAL RWY 8 APCH BEHIND THE B757. WE THEN TURNED TO FOLLOW WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE TFC WE WERE SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW IN. APCH CTL THEN RADIOED THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE WRONG ACFT. AT THAT TIME WE SPOTTED THE B757 WE WERE ORIGINALLY SUPPOSED TO FOLLOW. WE THEN MADE IMMEDIATE MANEUVERS TO AVOID ANY KIND OF INCIDENT WITH ANY ACFT WITH THE HELP OF THE CTLR. WE NEVER CAME ANY CLOSER THAN 6 OR 7 MI OF ANY ACFT AND BELIEVE THAT HAVING TCASII WOULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS SIT ENTIRELY.

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.