Narrative:

On arrival told to anticipate approach to runway 28L. Subsequently cleared for visual to runway 28R and maintain 4000 ft until crossing the dumbarton bridge. PNF was switching to new chart and frequency as traffic to follow was called and PF initiated descent on GS crossing dumbarton bridge. Traffic acquired visually and clearance to visual runway 28R behind traffic and to call tower at bridge (san mateo) ensued. PNF was unfamiliar with the 2 different bridge names and was concerned descent had been initiated prematurely. When chart, checklists, and proper bridge designations had been sorted out we were on final past the bridge tower call point. Normal landing but clearance had been overlooked in the approach confusion.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT LANDED WITHOUT CONTACTING TWR FOR CLRNC. PF, RPTR FO, SAYS CAPT WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE APCH AND WAS DISTRACTED LOOKING AT APCH PLATES AND XING ALTS AT THE BRIDGE.

Narrative: ON ARR TOLD TO ANTICIPATE APCH TO RWY 28L. SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 28R AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT UNTIL XING THE DUMBARTON BRIDGE. PNF WAS SWITCHING TO NEW CHART AND FREQ AS TFC TO FOLLOW WAS CALLED AND PF INITIATED DSCNT ON GS XING DUMBARTON BRIDGE. TFC ACQUIRED VISUALLY AND CLRNC TO VISUAL RWY 28R BEHIND TFC AND TO CALL TWR AT BRIDGE (SAN MATEO) ENSUED. PNF WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE 2 DIFFERENT BRIDGE NAMES AND WAS CONCERNED DSCNT HAD BEEN INITIATED PREMATURELY. WHEN CHART, CHKLISTS, AND PROPER BRIDGE DESIGNATIONS HAD BEEN SORTED OUT WE WERE ON FINAL PAST THE BRIDGE TWR CALL POINT. NORMAL LNDG BUT CLRNC HAD BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THE APCH CONFUSION.

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.