Large transport turning to localizer with aircraft on parallel approach receives TCASII RA. Responds...

Attributes
ACN	209498
Time
Date	199205
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 450
ASRS Report	209498
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 9600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	209428
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Approximately at menlo intersection we were level at 4000 ft and cleared to 2500 ft 'report airport in sight.' issued traffic at 2 O'clock, an light transport, going to 28R. Additional traffic 10 O'clock, altitude unknown, could be small aircraft low. We reported the light transport 'in sight.' we did not report airport as haze/smoke layer restr our visibility. Approach gave us 330 heading, join 28L localizer. Captain had previously tuned ILS during approach briefing and I tried 3-4 times to identify but never did get a good identify on ILS. We had the dumbarton bridge in sight the whole time as well as the light transport for 28R. During our descent to 2500 ft and about the time we should have been joining the localizer, we got an RA (captain said a target just off left of nose, then disappeared, then 1 just off right of nose). He added power, stopped turning and climbed to follow TCASII RA. About 3-5 seconds later approach control asked if we were joining localizer. We responded that we were following an RA. Approach issued heading 240 to join 28L. We then had airport in sight, reported it and were cleared visual 28L, handed off to tower, and landed without further conflict. These 2 approach paths at sfo are very close. A slight speed reduction/staggering of either one of us would certainly have made the situation much different.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT TURNING TO LOC WITH ACFT ON PARALLEL APCH RECEIVES TCASII RA. RESPONDS WITH CLB.

Narrative: APPROX AT MENLO INTXN WE WERE LEVEL AT 4000 FT AND CLRED TO 2500 FT 'RPT ARPT IN SIGHT.' ISSUED TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK, AN LTT, GOING TO 28R. ADDITIONAL TFC 10 O'CLOCK, ALT UNKNOWN, COULD BE SMA LOW. WE RPTED THE LTT 'IN SIGHT.' WE DID NOT RPT ARPT AS HAZE/SMOKE LAYER RESTR OUR VISIBILITY. APCH GAVE US 330 HDG, JOIN 28L LOC. CAPT HAD PREVIOUSLY TUNED ILS DURING APCH BRIEFING AND I TRIED 3-4 TIMES TO IDENT BUT NEVER DID GET A GOOD IDENT ON ILS. WE HAD THE DUMBARTON BRIDGE IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME AS WELL AS THE LTT FOR 28R. DURING OUR DSCNT TO 2500 FT AND ABOUT THE TIME WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN JOINING THE LOC, WE GOT AN RA (CAPT SAID A TARGET JUST OFF L OF NOSE, THEN DISAPPEARED, THEN 1 JUST OFF R OF NOSE). HE ADDED PWR, STOPPED TURNING AND CLBED TO FOLLOW TCASII RA. ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS LATER APCH CTL ASKED IF WE WERE JOINING LOC. WE RESPONDED THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING AN RA. APCH ISSUED HDG 240 TO JOIN 28L. WE THEN HAD ARPT IN SIGHT, RPTED IT AND WERE CLRED VISUAL 28L, HANDED OFF TO TWR, AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER CONFLICT. THESE 2 APCH PATHS AT SFO ARE VERY CLOSE. A SLIGHT SPD REDUCTION/STAGGERING OF EITHER ONE OF US WOULD CERTAINLY HAVE MADE THE SITUATION MUCH DIFFERENT.

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.

Large transport turning to localizer with aircraft on parallel approach receives TCASII RA. Responds with climb.