Following another aircraft on a visual approach, crew encountered IMC.

Attributes
ACN	491550
Time
Date	200011
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : atl.tracon tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 27l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : atl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 27l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
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 : 250 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	491550
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Weather
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I accepted visual approach to follow B727. Both aircraft momentarily flew through a cloud layer. Obviously, I lost sight of the traffic. Ego and scheduling pressures kept me from breaking off the approach. When we broke out of the clouds, we had gained on the B727 considerably. Tower advised us to slow and s-turn to the south. We did, and re-established separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOLLOWING ANOTHER ACFT ON A VISUAL APCH, CREW ENCOUNTERED IMC.

Narrative: I ACCEPTED VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW B727. BOTH ACFT MOMENTARILY FLEW THROUGH A CLOUD LAYER. OBVIOUSLY, I LOST SIGHT OF THE TFC. EGO AND SCHEDULING PRESSURES KEPT ME FROM BREAKING OFF THE APCH. WHEN WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS, WE HAD GAINED ON THE B727 CONSIDERABLY. TWR ADVISED US TO SLOW AND S-TURN TO THE S. WE DID, AND RE-ESTABLISHED SEPARATION.

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.