Due to misidentification of the aircraft they were cleared to follow to the airport; C172 experiences near midair collision with the aircraft they failed to locate.

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Attributes
ACN	760933
Time
Date	200711
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cha.airport
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : charter
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : cha.tower
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : charter
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 5300 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	760933
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	horizontal : 250 vertical : 15
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Our aircraft was vectored behind another cessna aircraft on an ASR approach. The approach controller called out the traffic to us. We asked if the aircraft was turning wbound. The approach controller confirmed this and asked us to follow that aircraft to the airport. We were handed over to the tower controller; where we reported that we were following the cessna. (We expected we were #2 for the airport.) on a 3 mi final; the tower controller instructed us to make a left 360 degree turn and climb to 2500 ft. We had overtaken the aircraft we were supposed to have followed; but the one we had in sight was on a 1/2 mi final. I thought we were following the aircraft on short final and had never seen the other aircraft until the tower controller initiated the instructions. A case of following the wrong similarly described aircraft to the airport.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DUE TO MISIDENTIFICATION OF THE ACFT THEY WERE CLEARED TO FOLLOW TO THE ARPT; C172 EXPERIENCES NMAC WITH THE ACFT THEY FAILED TO LOCATE.

Narrative: OUR ACFT WAS VECTORED BEHIND ANOTHER CESSNA ACFT ON AN ASR APCH. THE APCH CTLR CALLED OUT THE TFC TO US. WE ASKED IF THE ACFT WAS TURNING WBOUND. THE APCH CTLR CONFIRMED THIS AND ASKED US TO FOLLOW THAT ACFT TO THE ARPT. WE WERE HANDED OVER TO THE TWR CTLR; WHERE WE RPTED THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE CESSNA. (WE EXPECTED WE WERE #2 FOR THE ARPT.) ON A 3 MI FINAL; THE TWR CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO MAKE A L 360 DEG TURN AND CLB TO 2500 FT. WE HAD OVERTAKEN THE ACFT WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE FOLLOWED; BUT THE ONE WE HAD IN SIGHT WAS ON A 1/2 MI FINAL. I THOUGHT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE ACFT ON SHORT FINAL AND HAD NEVER SEEN THE OTHER ACFT UNTIL THE TWR CTLR INITIATED THE INSTRUCTIONS. A CASE OF FOLLOWING THE WRONG SIMILARLY DESCRIBED ACFT TO THE ARPT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.