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B737-300 flight crew advise nct approach of leveloff on a company charted visual approach procedure to sfo runway 28R due to non participating VFR aircraft below and outside sfo class B.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 605430 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200401 |
| Day | Sun |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo.airport |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nct.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : nct.tracon |
| Make Model Name | Piper Aircraft Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| 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 |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 25000 flight time type : 380 |
| ASRS Report | 605340 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | Airspace Structure |
Narrative:
Was cleared by norcal approach for the FMS bridge visual with visibility of 5 mi or greater. We crossed garow at 4000 ft and were descending to samul when I noticed a southeast piper below me in the opposite direction, soon followed by a TA, but no RA. The minimum separation was 700 ft as my first officer began to level off. I advised norcal and they said they were tracking the VFR aircraft at that time and would follow him until landing. Visibility was a little hazy and I was looking down into the sfo bay. This is just an FYI, no RA or action needed to avoid. Perhaps, if the aircraft was based at a bay airport, that operator should be advised to reinforce the danger of flight in this particular airspace. I could have legally been at a lower altitude to cross samul at or above 1800 ft. All my outside lights were on at the time per SOP.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: B737-300 FLT CREW ADVISE NCT APCH OF LEVELOFF ON A COMPANY CHARTED VISUAL APCH PROC TO SFO RWY 28R DUE TO NON PARTICIPATING VFR ACFT BELOW AND OUTSIDE SFO CLASS B.
Narrative: WAS CLRED BY NORCAL APCH FOR THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL WITH VISIBILITY OF 5 MI OR GREATER. WE CROSSED GAROW AT 4000 FT AND WERE DSNDING TO SAMUL WHEN I NOTICED A SE PIPER BELOW ME IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, SOON FOLLOWED BY A TA, BUT NO RA. THE MINIMUM SEPARATION WAS 700 FT AS MY FO BEGAN TO LEVEL OFF. I ADVISED NORCAL AND THEY SAID THEY WERE TRACKING THE VFR ACFT AT THAT TIME AND WOULD FOLLOW HIM UNTIL LNDG. VISIBILITY WAS A LITTLE HAZY AND I WAS LOOKING DOWN INTO THE SFO BAY. THIS IS JUST AN FYI, NO RA OR ACTION NEEDED TO AVOID. PERHAPS, IF THE ACFT WAS BASED AT A BAY ARPT, THAT OPERATOR SHOULD BE ADVISED TO REINFORCE THE DANGER OF FLT IN THIS PARTICULAR AIRSPACE. I COULD HAVE LEGALLY BEEN AT A LOWER ALT TO CROSS SAMUL AT OR ABOVE 1800 FT. ALL MY OUTSIDE LIGHTS WERE ON AT THE TIME PER SOP.
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.