Atx C501 flight crew divert off course into adjoining air carrier traffic on 4 mi final to sfo.

Attributes
ACN	499950
Time
Date	200102
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Citation I/SP
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	499950
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure Airport
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Following traffic on visual approach runway 28R sfo. Aircraft to follow descended into smog before runway was acquired visually. Lost sight of aircraft to follow and airport. While attempting to acquire aircraft to follow or runway, I deviated to the left of centerline onto the final for runway 28L. I was correcting back to the right when queried by the tower.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATX C501 FLC DIVERT OFF COURSE INTO ADJOINING ACR TFC ON 4 MI FINAL TO SFO.

Narrative: FOLLOWING TFC ON VISUAL APCH RWY 28R SFO. ACFT TO FOLLOW DSNDED INTO SMOG BEFORE RWY WAS ACQUIRED VISUALLY. LOST SIGHT OF ACFT TO FOLLOW AND ARPT. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACQUIRE ACFT TO FOLLOW OR RWY, I DEVIATED TO THE L OF CTRLINE ONTO THE FINAL FOR RWY 28L. I WAS CORRECTING BACK TO THE R WHEN QUERIED BY THE TWR.

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.