MD80 flight crew descending on approach to sfo declined expedite instruction and climbed instead bec...

Attributes
ACN	449558
Time
Date	199909
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 7500
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : charted visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	449558
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory flight crew : took evasive action
Miss Distance	vertical : 300
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

XA35Z, 120.35, 7500 ft, bay approach. Location: sfo 095 degree radial, 21 DME. Approaching sfo on the quiet bridge approach while descending through 8000 ft for 7000 ft, bay approach called VFR traffic 12 O'clock position and close at 7500 ft and asked us to expedite descent to 7000 ft. It made very little sense to me to descend through the altitude of traffic that close to us, so at 7700 ft I elected to climb back to 8000 ft and let the traffic pass under me. Climbing through 7800 ft, I acquired the target visually. The TCASII was giving us an RA during this event. I have never experienced such a bad call from bay approach. The controller could have had us remain at 8000 ft in the first place or given us clearance to something lower than 7000 ft to preclude having a difficult leveloff after a rapid descent or better yet keep the VFR airplanes away from final at the altitudes the airliners will be crossing. Separation minimums were certainly violated and that was as close as I've come to a midair since 1985.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLC DSNDING ON APCH TO SFO DECLINED EXPEDITE INSTRUCTION AND CLBED INSTEAD BECAUSE OF TFC.

Narrative: XA35Z, 120.35, 7500 FT, BAY APCH. LOCATION: SFO 095 DEG RADIAL, 21 DME. APCHING SFO ON THE QUIET BRIDGE APCH WHILE DSNDING THROUGH 8000 FT FOR 7000 FT, BAY APCH CALLED VFR TFC 12 O'CLOCK POS AND CLOSE AT 7500 FT AND ASKED US TO EXPEDITE DSCNT TO 7000 FT. IT MADE VERY LITTLE SENSE TO ME TO DSND THROUGH THE ALT OF TFC THAT CLOSE TO US, SO AT 7700 FT I ELECTED TO CLB BACK TO 8000 FT AND LET THE TFC PASS UNDER ME. CLBING THROUGH 7800 FT, I ACQUIRED THE TARGET VISUALLY. THE TCASII WAS GIVING US AN RA DURING THIS EVENT. I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A BAD CALL FROM BAY APCH. THE CTLR COULD HAVE HAD US REMAIN AT 8000 FT IN THE FIRST PLACE OR GIVEN US CLRNC TO SOMETHING LOWER THAN 7000 FT TO PRECLUDE HAVING A DIFFICULT LEVELOFF AFTER A RAPID DSCNT OR BETTER YET KEEP THE VFR AIRPLANES AWAY FROM FINAL AT THE ALTS THE AIRLINERS WILL BE XING. SEPARATION MINIMUMS WERE CERTAINLY VIOLATED AND THAT WAS AS CLOSE AS I'VE COME TO A MIDAIR SINCE 1985.

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.

MD80 flight crew descending on approach to sfo declined expedite instruction and climbed instead because of traffic.