Narrative:

While on radar vectors to sfo-FMS bridge visual runway 28R and descending to 7000 ft, we were issued a clearance to fly direct to archi intersection and intercept the final approach course for the approach, but because he gave an altitude restr during the preceding radio transmission, and did not include one in the latest transmission, both the copilot and I interpreted this last clearance as being the clearance to begin the approach and subsequently crossed archi intersection at 7000 ft and continued to descend to 6000 ft for the restr at trdow intersection. The controller came on the frequency and said we were not cleared for the approach and maintain 6000 ft. According to the approach controller supervisor, it is their procedure to have 1 controller issue the direct archi clearance and the next controller issue the approach clearance. I believe that becomes a problem because the standard approach clearance litany doesn't necessarily fit for the FMS approachs because altitudes are part of its structure and, once issued, the clearance becomes the controling factor to us in the cockpit. We need to listen more closely when receiving this type of clearance and controllers should be more aware that the sequence of their remarks are just as important as the remarks themselves.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV ALT EXCURSION.

Narrative: WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS TO SFO-FMS BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R AND DSNDING TO 7000 FT, WE WERE ISSUED A CLRNC TO FLY DIRECT TO ARCHI INTXN AND INTERCEPT THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR THE APCH, BUT BECAUSE HE GAVE AN ALT RESTR DURING THE PRECEDING RADIO XMISSION, AND DID NOT INCLUDE ONE IN THE LATEST XMISSION, BOTH THE COPLT AND I INTERPRETED THIS LAST CLRNC AS BEING THE CLRNC TO BEGIN THE APCH AND SUBSEQUENTLY CROSSED ARCHI INTXN AT 7000 FT AND CONTINUED TO DSND TO 6000 FT FOR THE RESTR AT TRDOW INTXN. THE CTLR CAME ON THE FREQ AND SAID WE WERE NOT CLRED FOR THE APCH AND MAINTAIN 6000 FT. ACCORDING TO THE APCH CTLR SUPVR, IT IS THEIR PROC TO HAVE 1 CTLR ISSUE THE DIRECT ARCHI CLRNC AND THE NEXT CTLR ISSUE THE APCH CLRNC. I BELIEVE THAT BECOMES A PROB BECAUSE THE STANDARD APCH CLRNC LITANY DOESN'T NECESSARILY FIT FOR THE FMS APCHS BECAUSE ALTS ARE PART OF ITS STRUCTURE AND, ONCE ISSUED, THE CLRNC BECOMES THE CTLING FACTOR TO US IN THE COCKPIT. WE NEED TO LISTEN MORE CLOSELY WHEN RECEIVING THIS TYPE OF CLRNC AND CTLRS SHOULD BE MORE AWARE THAT THE SEQUENCE OF THEIR REMARKS ARE JUST AS IMPORTANT AS THE REMARKS THEMSELVES.

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.