Narrative:

Sfo WX had gone from clear to 700' overcast, approximately 15 mins prior to our approach. We were given delay vectors/speed control from bsr for spacing. Cleared for an approach to runway 28R (sfo) from 4 outside dumba. Told to maintain 180 KTS to brijj. Approaching brijj, told by bay TRACON to contact sfo tower. On initial contact, sfo tower started to issue landing clearance and spacing information, then broke in mid-sentence and instructed to go around, executed published missed. After approximately 30 mins of cruising the bay area with flaps down and 180 KTS assigned, made an uneventful approach and landing. Later conversations with sfo tower and bay TRACON revealed a somewhat disturbing situation. Apparently due to a wind shear between 2000-3000' and the surface, aircraft being spaced by bay on the final were losing standard IFR sep approximately over brijj and sfo tower was refusing the handoff and sending aircraft around. We were either the fourth or fifth aircraft sent around in a 20 min period. This would seem to indicate a serious lack of competence on the part of bay TRACON (they took our TCAS away so we can't monitor the situation), a lack of coordination between sfo tower and jay, or that the pilots are caught in the middle of yet another ATC power struggle. Although fuel was not a factor, it was becoming one because of the long vector back onto the approach. I was under the impression that aircraft on a miss got some priority back into the sequence.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR REFUSED HANDOFF ACCOUNT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: SFO WX HAD GONE FROM CLR TO 700' OVCST, APPROX 15 MINS PRIOR TO OUR APCH. WE WERE GIVEN DELAY VECTORS/SPD CTL FROM BSR FOR SPACING. CLRED FOR AN APCH TO RWY 28R (SFO) FROM 4 OUTSIDE DUMBA. TOLD TO MAINTAIN 180 KTS TO BRIJJ. APCHING BRIJJ, TOLD BY BAY TRACON TO CONTACT SFO TWR. ON INITIAL CONTACT, SFO TWR STARTED TO ISSUE LNDG CLRNC AND SPACING INFO, THEN BROKE IN MID-SENTENCE AND INSTRUCTED TO GO AROUND, EXECUTED PUBLISHED MISSED. AFTER APPROX 30 MINS OF CRUISING THE BAY AREA WITH FLAPS DOWN AND 180 KTS ASSIGNED, MADE AN UNEVENTFUL APCH AND LNDG. LATER CONVERSATIONS WITH SFO TWR AND BAY TRACON REVEALED A SOMEWHAT DISTURBING SITUATION. APPARENTLY DUE TO A WIND SHEAR BTWN 2000-3000' AND THE SURFACE, ACFT BEING SPACED BY BAY ON THE FINAL WERE LOSING STANDARD IFR SEP APPROX OVER BRIJJ AND SFO TWR WAS REFUSING THE HDOF AND SENDING ACFT AROUND. WE WERE EITHER THE FOURTH OR FIFTH ACFT SENT AROUND IN A 20 MIN PERIOD. THIS WOULD SEEM TO INDICATE A SERIOUS LACK OF COMPETENCE ON THE PART OF BAY TRACON (THEY TOOK OUR TCAS AWAY SO WE CAN'T MONITOR THE SITUATION), A LACK OF COORD BTWN SFO TWR AND JAY, OR THAT THE PLTS ARE CAUGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF YET ANOTHER ATC PWR STRUGGLE. ALTHOUGH FUEL WAS NOT A FACTOR, IT WAS BECOMING ONE BECAUSE OF THE LONG VECTOR BACK ONTO THE APCH. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT ACFT ON A MISS GOT SOME PRIORITY BACK INTO THE SEQUENCE.

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.