Narrative:

Bay approach instructed us to maintain a heading of 010 degrees until reaching the centerline of runway 28L, then we were cleared a visual approach. I read back this instruction. My first officer asked for 2000 ft in altitude window and commenced the approach. Bay approach then called out traffic. When I returned my attention to the cockpit, I realized my first officer had started the turn early. I instructed her to immediately turn back to 010 degrees. She stated that she had forgotten about the need to maintain that heading until intercepting the centerline. Bay then asked us to slow to approach speed as we were now closing on traffic. This solved the problem. My first officer is new on the aircraft and was apparently maximum'ed out just in flying the approach. Things were happening fast at that point in the flight -- just as they always do! I explained to her the need to not fly low over san carlos airport. While we were en route to sfo, we discussed why sfo is a special airport and we talked about likely scenarios that might be encountered. While I felt we had a good discussion about the potential pitfalls of flying into sfo, we still had this problem occur. I don't honestly see a solution to this except that I needed to realize just how new she is and that she needed much more monitoring than I anticipated. I will definitely keep closer tabs on new coplts in the future!

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B777 FO FORGETS ABOUT THE CLRNC TO STAY ON HDG UNTIL ON THE CTRLINE FOR TFC SEPARATION.

Narrative: BAY APCH INSTRUCTED US TO MAINTAIN A HDG OF 010 DEGS UNTIL REACHING THE CTRLINE OF RWY 28L, THEN WE WERE CLRED A VISUAL APCH. I READ BACK THIS INSTRUCTION. MY FO ASKED FOR 2000 FT IN ALT WINDOW AND COMMENCED THE APCH. BAY APCH THEN CALLED OUT TFC. WHEN I RETURNED MY ATTN TO THE COCKPIT, I REALIZED MY FO HAD STARTED THE TURN EARLY. I INSTRUCTED HER TO IMMEDIATELY TURN BACK TO 010 DEGS. SHE STATED THAT SHE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT THE NEED TO MAINTAIN THAT HDG UNTIL INTERCEPTING THE CTRLINE. BAY THEN ASKED US TO SLOW TO APCH SPD AS WE WERE NOW CLOSING ON TFC. THIS SOLVED THE PROB. MY FO IS NEW ON THE ACFT AND WAS APPARENTLY MAX'ED OUT JUST IN FLYING THE APCH. THINGS WERE HAPPENING FAST AT THAT POINT IN THE FLT -- JUST AS THEY ALWAYS DO! I EXPLAINED TO HER THE NEED TO NOT FLY LOW OVER SAN CARLOS ARPT. WHILE WE WERE ENRTE TO SFO, WE DISCUSSED WHY SFO IS A SPECIAL ARPT AND WE TALKED ABOUT LIKELY SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED. WHILE I FELT WE HAD A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT THE POTENTIAL PITFALLS OF FLYING INTO SFO, WE STILL HAD THIS PROB OCCUR. I DON'T HONESTLY SEE A SOLUTION TO THIS EXCEPT THAT I NEEDED TO REALIZE JUST HOW NEW SHE IS AND THAT SHE NEEDED MUCH MORE MONITORING THAN I ANTICIPATED. I WILL DEFINITELY KEEP CLOSER TABS ON NEW COPLTS IN THE FUTURE!

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.