Narrative:

Captain was flying, I (copilot) was working radios. We were cleared for tipp toe visibility approach runway 28L. We were advised of traffic before turning onto final approach localizer. Traffic was a large transport on the quiet bridge approach to runway 28R. The large transport was 2-3 mi behind us. As we approached the point where the san mateo bridge meets the foster city noise sensitive area near brijj NDB the captain made a slight turn to the right and was now aligned with runway 28R, with the large transport right behind us. I brought this to the captain's attention and he stated he was avoiding the noise sensitive area. I reminded him of the large transport behind us landing on the right, and also that you don't have to avoid the area on the tipp toe approach, on the quiet bridge. He realized this and moved back over to the left runway. Bay approach, sfo tower and the large transport never said anything of this on frequency. This could have been prevented if the captain had been more familiar with the approach. Also, there could be a note on the chart stating it is ok to fly over foster city and to stay on the localizer. Of our speeds had been different, we would have been a lot closer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG ON TIPTOE APCH TO SFO DRIFTED INTO PATH OF LGT ON QUIET BRIDGE APCH.

Narrative: CAPT WAS FLYING, I (COPLT) WAS WORKING RADIOS. WE WERE CLRED FOR TIPP TOE VIS APCH RWY 28L. WE WERE ADVISED OF TFC BEFORE TURNING ONTO FINAL APCH LOC. TFC WAS A LGT ON THE QUIET BRIDGE APCH TO RWY 28R. THE LGT WAS 2-3 MI BEHIND US. AS WE APCHED THE POINT WHERE THE SAN MATEO BRIDGE MEETS THE FOSTER CITY NOISE SENSITIVE AREA NEAR BRIJJ NDB THE CAPT MADE A SLIGHT TURN TO THE RIGHT AND WAS NOW ALIGNED WITH RWY 28R, WITH THE LGT RIGHT BEHIND US. I BROUGHT THIS TO THE CAPT'S ATTN AND HE STATED HE WAS AVOIDING THE NOISE SENSITIVE AREA. I REMINDED HIM OF THE LGT BEHIND US LNDG ON THE RIGHT, AND ALSO THAT YOU DON'T HAVE TO AVOID THE AREA ON THE TIPP TOE APCH, ON THE QUIET BRIDGE. HE REALIZED THIS AND MOVED BACK OVER TO THE LEFT RWY. BAY APCH, SFO TWR AND THE LGT NEVER SAID ANYTHING OF THIS ON FREQ. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CAPT HAD BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE APCH. ALSO, THERE COULD BE A NOTE ON THE CHART STATING IT IS OK TO FLY OVER FOSTER CITY AND TO STAY ON THE LOC. OF OUR SPDS HAD BEEN DIFFERENT, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN A LOT CLOSER.

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.