Narrative:

Inbound to sfo on modesto 2 arrival. Reaching cedes intersection, controller cleared us 'direct archi, intercept FMS bridge visual to runway 28R.' copilot continued to fly, I set up archi in our gfms, then looked up the approach. While it seemed very odd to be given this approach, it was a very clear day, VMC (so the visual part seemed ok), and the aircraft had an FMS. I failed to see the fine print limiting the approach to slant east (/east) or slant F (/F) aircraft. We were slant G (/G). Since we were already turning final at this point, K checked all the way points, which were correct, and acknowledged clearance for the approach. About 1/2 way through the approach I realized my mistake but now there was other traffic to contend with, the frequency was saturated, and the raw data backup as well as the FMS showed us right where we were supposed to be. I elected to let the first officer continue the visual approach as the safest course of action. In hindsight, I should have immediately questioned the direction to fly to 'archi' which probably would have cued the controller to not assign us this approach. Also, I probably should have reviewed the entire procedure before accepting the approach clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN MD80 PIC ACCEPTS THE 'DIRECT ARCHI -- FMS BRIDGE VISUAL TO RWY 28R' AS GIVEN BY BAY APCH WHEN HIS ACFT NAV EQUIP IS NOT CLASSIFIED FOR THAT APCH INTO SFO, CA.

Narrative: INBOUND TO SFO ON MODESTO 2 ARR. REACHING CEDES INTXN, CTLR CLRED US 'DIRECT ARCHI, INTERCEPT FMS BRIDGE VISUAL TO RWY 28R.' COPLT CONTINUED TO FLY, I SET UP ARCHI IN OUR GFMS, THEN LOOKED UP THE APCH. WHILE IT SEEMED VERY ODD TO BE GIVEN THIS APCH, IT WAS A VERY CLR DAY, VMC (SO THE VISUAL PART SEEMED OK), AND THE ACFT HAD AN FMS. I FAILED TO SEE THE FINE PRINT LIMITING THE APCH TO SLANT E (/E) OR SLANT F (/F) ACFT. WE WERE SLANT G (/G). SINCE WE WERE ALREADY TURNING FINAL AT THIS POINT, K CHKED ALL THE WAY POINTS, WHICH WERE CORRECT, AND ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC FOR THE APCH. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE APCH I REALIZED MY MISTAKE BUT NOW THERE WAS OTHER TFC TO CONTEND WITH, THE FREQ WAS SATURATED, AND THE RAW DATA BACKUP AS WELL AS THE FMS SHOWED US RIGHT WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE. I ELECTED TO LET THE FO CONTINUE THE VISUAL APCH AS THE SAFEST COURSE OF ACTION. IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD HAVE IMMEDIATELY QUESTIONED THE DIRECTION TO FLY TO 'ARCHI' WHICH PROBABLY WOULD HAVE CUED THE CTLR TO NOT ASSIGN US THIS APCH. ALSO, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE REVIEWED THE ENTIRE PROC BEFORE ACCEPTING THE APCH CLRNC.

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.