Narrative:

ATC indicated visual approachs. Deteriorating WX (scud layer coming through the 'gap') caused a temporary condition of 1000 ft broken, so aircraft were vectored and sequenced for the ILS runway 28R. WX then improved sufficiently, so that the airport was visible (scud layer had moved). We reported the field and were cleared for the quiet bridge visual runway 28R. We were told to maintain visual on traffic for runway 28L, which was a widebody transport. The widebody transport was on a constant bearing and I asked, 'who's got the lead?' I received no response. We were then told to fly 160 KTS (prior to brijj). We flew slightly faster because the widebody transport appeared to be converging on us, and we stayed right of the runway 28R centerline. At about 2 NM, tower told us to 'continue' because traffic in front of us was just touching down. We slowed to approach speed and the widebody transport passed us approximately 1/2 NM from touchdown, as we were descending through 300 ft. This was extremely disconcerting, particularly with the possibility of the widebody transport's wake turbulence hitting us at low altitude. The 7110 (air traffic controller's handbook) prohibits a larger aircraft from passing a smaller aircraft. I cannot ascertain whether bay TRACON is disregarding this requirement or if the relative motion between 2 parallel aircraft is so difficult to adequately determine that this separation cannot be accurately maintained.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MULTIPLE RWY OP PARALLEL RWY APCHS. ACR X HAD LTSS FROM WDB ON VISUAL APCH TO PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: ATC INDICATED VISUAL APCHS. DETERIORATING WX (SCUD LAYER COMING THROUGH THE 'GAP') CAUSED A TEMPORARY CONDITION OF 1000 FT BROKEN, SO ACFT WERE VECTORED AND SEQUENCED FOR THE ILS RWY 28R. WX THEN IMPROVED SUFFICIENTLY, SO THAT THE ARPT WAS VISIBLE (SCUD LAYER HAD MOVED). WE RPTED THE FIELD AND WERE CLRED FOR THE QUIET BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R. WE WERE TOLD TO MAINTAIN VISUAL ON TFC FOR RWY 28L, WHICH WAS A WDB. THE WDB WAS ON A CONSTANT BEARING AND I ASKED, 'WHO'S GOT THE LEAD?' I RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO FLY 160 KTS (PRIOR TO BRIJJ). WE FLEW SLIGHTLY FASTER BECAUSE THE WDB APPEARED TO BE CONVERGING ON US, AND WE STAYED R OF THE RWY 28R CTRLINE. AT ABOUT 2 NM, TWR TOLD US TO 'CONTINUE' BECAUSE TFC IN FRONT OF US WAS JUST TOUCHING DOWN. WE SLOWED TO APCH SPD AND THE WDB PASSED US APPROX 1/2 NM FROM TOUCHDOWN, AS WE WERE DSNDING THROUGH 300 FT. THIS WAS EXTREMELY DISCONCERTING, PARTICULARLY WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF THE WDB'S WAKE TURB HITTING US AT LOW ALT. THE 7110 (AIR TFC CTLR'S HANDBOOK) PROHIBITS A LARGER ACFT FROM PASSING A SMALLER ACFT. I CANNOT ASCERTAIN WHETHER BAY TRACON IS DISREGARDING THIS REQUIREMENT OR IF THE RELATIVE MOTION BTWN 2 PARALLEL ACFT IS SO DIFFICULT TO ADEQUATELY DETERMINE THAT THIS SEPARATION CANNOT BE ACCURATELY MAINTAINED.

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.