Narrative:

While conducting the FMS bridge visual runway 28R approach at approximately garow; ATC pointed out a brasilia aircraft at our 8 O'clock position high. As the traffic got closer and seemed to be going faster than our 180 KTS to samul the controller pointed out the traffic again. I acknowledged the traffic and stated to the controller 'I hope he is smart enough; to stay behind us.' we continued with the approach; we were well in front of the brasilia. After passing samul while on the GS and localizer at about 1200 ft; it became evident the brasilia was passing us from behind. We got a TCAS 'climb; climb now.' as the PNF; I could see the traffic at about 200 ft abeam my left window. The first officer was hand flying the aircraft and followed the TCAS climb direction. We then got a 'descent' message. I could see the traffic as it was passing us and directed the first officer to continue the climb. Once cleared of traffic; we executed a missed approach; since we no longer were in position to continue the approach. We were given vectors for a visual approach to runway 28L. Upon landing I contacted the tower supervisor and inquired about the event. The supervisor asked me 'did approach point out the traffic to you?' I replied yes. 'Did you acknowledge seeing the traffic?' I replied yes; again. 'Then why did you follow your TCAS RA?' I explained to him that our training mandates for all TCAS RA's to be complied with. It's no matter of choosing which one I will comply with. He went to state that it is a tower policy for any smaller aircraft to pass a larger aircraft. However a larger aircraft is not able to pass a smaller aircraft. There are several issues that need to be addressed: 1) any aircraft passing on final regardless of size can trigger a TCAS RA. 2) passing on final does not appear to be a safe operation. 3) the safety envelope diminishes when aircraft are allowed to pass each other on final approach. 4) the tower interpretation of TCAS compliance needs to be addressed. 5) TCAS RA's must be followed regardless of VFR/IFR conditions. 6) it is quite obvious that the FAA perception of our procedures and training; are not in agreement with each other. Lastly; I wish I knew how did the other aircraft was able to land; after responding to his TCAS going off. I have filed an near midair collision report with sfo tower. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated that approach control advised the flight crew that the brasilia had them in sight. The reporter acquired the brasilia visually at the 8 O'clock position and reported traffic in sight to ATC. The TCAS was left in the RA position even with traffic in sight and a TCAS 'climb' resulted. The B757 flight crew followed the TCAS resolution advisory even though they had the brasilia in sight and subsequently executed a missed approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLT CREW RESPONDED TO TCAS RA AS ACFT ON APCH TO PARALLEL RWY PASSED. FLT CREW CLIMBED AS PER RA AND EXECUTED MISSED APCH.

Narrative: WHILE CONDUCTING THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R APCH AT APPROX GAROW; ATC POINTED OUT A BRASILIA ACFT AT OUR 8 O'CLOCK POS HIGH. AS THE TFC GOT CLOSER AND SEEMED TO BE GOING FASTER THAN OUR 180 KTS TO SAMUL THE CTLR POINTED OUT THE TFC AGAIN. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC AND STATED TO THE CTLR 'I HOPE HE IS SMART ENOUGH; TO STAY BEHIND US.' WE CONTINUED WITH THE APCH; WE WERE WELL IN FRONT OF THE BRASILIA. AFTER PASSING SAMUL WHILE ON THE GS AND LOC AT ABOUT 1200 FT; IT BECAME EVIDENT THE BRASILIA WAS PASSING US FROM BEHIND. WE GOT A TCAS 'CLB; CLB NOW.' AS THE PNF; I COULD SEE THE TFC AT ABOUT 200 FT ABEAM MY L WINDOW. THE FO WAS HAND FLYING THE ACFT AND FOLLOWED THE TCAS CLB DIRECTION. WE THEN GOT A 'DSCNT' MESSAGE. I COULD SEE THE TFC AS IT WAS PASSING US AND DIRECTED THE FO TO CONTINUE THE CLB. ONCE CLRED OF TFC; WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH; SINCE WE NO LONGER WERE IN POS TO CONTINUE THE APCH. WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28L. UPON LNDG I CONTACTED THE TWR SUPVR AND INQUIRED ABOUT THE EVENT. THE SUPVR ASKED ME 'DID APCH POINT OUT THE TFC TO YOU?' I REPLIED YES. 'DID YOU ACKNOWLEDGE SEEING THE TFC?' I REPLIED YES; AGAIN. 'THEN WHY DID YOU FOLLOW YOUR TCAS RA?' I EXPLAINED TO HIM THAT OUR TRAINING MANDATES FOR ALL TCAS RA'S TO BE COMPLIED WITH. IT'S NO MATTER OF CHOOSING WHICH ONE I WILL COMPLY WITH. HE WENT TO STATE THAT IT IS A TWR POLICY FOR ANY SMALLER ACFT TO PASS A LARGER ACFT. HOWEVER A LARGER ACFT IS NOT ABLE TO PASS A SMALLER ACFT. THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED: 1) ANY ACFT PASSING ON FINAL REGARDLESS OF SIZE CAN TRIGGER A TCAS RA. 2) PASSING ON FINAL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE A SAFE OP. 3) THE SAFETY ENVELOPE DIMINISHES WHEN ACFT ARE ALLOWED TO PASS EACH OTHER ON FINAL APCH. 4) THE TWR INTERP OF TCAS COMPLIANCE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. 5) TCAS RA'S MUST BE FOLLOWED REGARDLESS OF VFR/IFR CONDITIONS. 6) IT IS QUITE OBVIOUS THAT THE FAA PERCEPTION OF OUR PROCS AND TRAINING; ARE NOT IN AGREEMENT WITH EACH OTHER. LASTLY; I WISH I KNEW HOW DID THE OTHER ACFT WAS ABLE TO LAND; AFTER RESPONDING TO HIS TCAS GOING OFF. I HAVE FILED AN NMAC RPT WITH SFO TWR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: REPORTER STATED THAT APCH CONTROL ADVISED THE FLT CREW THAT THE BRASILIA HAD THEM IN SIGHT. THE REPORTER ACQUIRED THE BRASILIA VISUALLY AT THE 8 O'CLOCK POSITION AND REPORTED TFC IN SIGHT TO ATC. THE TCAS WAS LEFT IN THE RA POSITION EVEN WITH TFC IN SIGHT AND A TCAS 'CLIMB' RESULTED. THE B757 FLT CREW FOLLOWED THE TCAS RESOLUTION ADVISORY EVEN THOUGH THEY HAD THE BRASILIA IN SIGHT AND SUBSEQUENTLY EXECUTED A MISSED APCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.