Narrative:

Thunderstorm activity at sfo. Aircraft were doing ILS approachs to runway 19L. Cig 2800 ft overcast, winds 210v230, 25g35v45. Thunderstorms were rolling through the airport environment. Wind was shifting around. Tower decided to start circling approachs off ILS runway 19L to land on runway 28R/left. Previous 4 aircraft had been given circling approachs. At approximately 3500 ft on final to runway 19L (still IMC) we were told to expect circle-to-land runway 28R. We broke out at approximately 2500 ft, asked for a wind check and found out that the wind was back to 210v230 25g35. We were about to request runway 19L for landing when tower came on frequency and cleared us to land on runway 19L. We noticed that traffic was on final for runway 28R. At approximately 1500 ft, tower asked us to s-turn to the south for conflicting traffic landing on runway 28R. As we turned back onto final at 1000 ft, tower again asked us to s-turn. We stated that we were unable. At approximately 800 ft, tower initiated a go around. We proceeded with go around and eventually came back to sfo to land on runway 19L. Tower should never have commenced circle-to-land on runway 28R/left. Everyone was already lined up in sequence on runway 19L. If we had continued our approach to a landing on runway 19L we would have put the plane in imminent danger of colliding with landing traffic on runway 28R at the crossing of runways 28R and 19L. The tower was trying to push 2 aircraft to land at sfo on crossing runways at the same time.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 INITIATES GAR AT SFO DURING VARIABLE WINDS AND MULTIPLE RWY USE.

Narrative: TSTM ACTIVITY AT SFO. ACFT WERE DOING ILS APCHS TO RWY 19L. CIG 2800 FT OVCST, WINDS 210V230, 25G35V45. TSTMS WERE ROLLING THROUGH THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT. WIND WAS SHIFTING AROUND. TWR DECIDED TO START CIRCLING APCHS OFF ILS RWY 19L TO LAND ON RWY 28R/L. PREVIOUS 4 ACFT HAD BEEN GIVEN CIRCLING APCHS. AT APPROX 3500 FT ON FINAL TO RWY 19L (STILL IMC) WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT CIRCLE-TO-LAND RWY 28R. WE BROKE OUT AT APPROX 2500 FT, ASKED FOR A WIND CHK AND FOUND OUT THAT THE WIND WAS BACK TO 210V230 25G35. WE WERE ABOUT TO REQUEST RWY 19L FOR LNDG WHEN TWR CAME ON FREQ AND CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 19L. WE NOTICED THAT TFC WAS ON FINAL FOR RWY 28R. AT APPROX 1500 FT, TWR ASKED US TO S-TURN TO THE S FOR CONFLICTING TFC LNDG ON RWY 28R. AS WE TURNED BACK ONTO FINAL AT 1000 FT, TWR AGAIN ASKED US TO S-TURN. WE STATED THAT WE WERE UNABLE. AT APPROX 800 FT, TWR INITIATED A GAR. WE PROCEEDED WITH GAR AND EVENTUALLY CAME BACK TO SFO TO LAND ON RWY 19L. TWR SHOULD NEVER HAVE COMMENCED CIRCLE-TO-LAND ON RWY 28R/L. EVERYONE WAS ALREADY LINED UP IN SEQUENCE ON RWY 19L. IF WE HAD CONTINUED OUR APCH TO A LNDG ON RWY 19L WE WOULD HAVE PUT THE PLANE IN IMMINENT DANGER OF COLLIDING WITH LNDG TFC ON RWY 28R AT THE XING OF RWYS 28R AND 19L. THE TWR WAS TRYING TO PUSH 2 ACFT TO LAND AT SFO ON XING RWYS AT THE SAME TIME.

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.