EMB-120 FAILS TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM AN AIRBUS ON A VISUAL APCH TO SJC AFTER DSNDING THROUGH CLOUDS; RESULTING IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH NCT APCH CLRNC TO ESTABLISH SEPARATION AND SEQUENCING.

Narrative

APCHING SJC; WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS FOR RWY 30L AND TOLD TO EXPECT TO SIDESTEP FOR RWY 30R. APCH CALLED OUT AN AIRBUS ON A HIGH L DOWNWIND AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. IT APPEARED WE COULD; SO WE AGREED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL. THE AIRBUS WAS TURNED ONTO THE APCH IN FRONT OF US. THERE WAS A SMALL CLOUD BTWN US AND THE ARPT; AND THE AIRBUS FLEW INTO IT ON THEIR APCH. SHORTLY; WE ENTERED THE CLOUD AND IT WAS COMMUNICATED WITH ATC THAT WE NO LONGER HAD THE AIRBUS IN SIGHT. WHEN WE BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUD; WE SAW WE WERE VERY CLOSE TO THE AIRBUS. SIMULTANEOUSLY; APCH GAVE US A CLB TO 5000 FT. WE BEGAN TO CLB AND SO DID THE AIRBUS. IMMEDIATELY; WE STARTED A R TURN TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION; AND CONTINUED TO CLB TO 5000 FT. ALTHOUGH ATC ORDERED US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE L TURN; WE WERE ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED IN THE R TURN. I FELT THE SAFEST THING WAS TO KEEP THE R TURN. WE WERE VECTORED AROUND FOR ANOTHER APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT. NOTHING WAS DISCUSSED WITH ATC AFTER THE INCIDENT.