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Flight crew complains that ATC allowed 2 aircraft, both on visual approachs to sfo, to get too close when second flight crew failed to see first aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 82235 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198802 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sfo |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak tower : sfo |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | approach : visual |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 10000 |
| ASRS Report | 82235 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
The first officer was flying. We were executing the quiet bridge approach about 12 mi out on the sfo 095 degree right. Approach control asked if we saw the small transport at 11 O'clock, 4 mi turning final. We said negative. About 30 or 40 seconds later the controller asked if we had the small transport in sight 11 O'clock, 2 mi. We said negative. Over the high span the controller said to contact the tower. The tower controller asked if we had the small transport in sight at 11 O'clock, 2 mi. We said negative. The controller said, 'if you don't pick him up soon, I'll have to take you out.' a few seconds later we saw the small transport over coyote point. I am consumed that the 3 mi spacing was violated by the controller in hopes that the pilot could bail him out with visibility sep. I am concerned that 3 crew members of a commercial jet liner were distracted from important duties at a critical phase of flight looking for traffic. This procedure has some various problems!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT CREW COMPLAINS THAT ATC ALLOWED 2 ACFT, BOTH ON VISUAL APCHS TO SFO, TO GET TOO CLOSE WHEN SECOND FLT CREW FAILED TO SEE FIRST ACFT.
Narrative: THE F/O WAS FLYING. WE WERE EXECUTING THE QUIET BRIDGE APCH ABOUT 12 MI OUT ON THE SFO 095 DEG R. APCH CTL ASKED IF WE SAW THE SMT AT 11 O'CLOCK, 4 MI TURNING FINAL. WE SAID NEGATIVE. ABOUT 30 OR 40 SECS LATER THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE SMT IN SIGHT 11 O'CLOCK, 2 MI. WE SAID NEGATIVE. OVER THE HIGH SPAN THE CTLR SAID TO CONTACT THE TWR. THE TWR CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE SMT IN SIGHT AT 11 O'CLOCK, 2 MI. WE SAID NEGATIVE. THE CTLR SAID, 'IF YOU DON'T PICK HIM UP SOON, I'LL HAVE TO TAKE YOU OUT.' A FEW SECS LATER WE SAW THE SMT OVER COYOTE POINT. I AM CONSUMED THAT THE 3 MI SPACING WAS VIOLATED BY THE CTLR IN HOPES THAT THE PLT COULD BAIL HIM OUT WITH VIS SEP. I AM CONCERNED THAT 3 CREW MEMBERS OF A COMMERCIAL JET LINER WERE DISTRACTED FROM IMPORTANT DUTIES AT A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT LOOKING FOR TFC. THIS PROC HAS SOME VARIOUS PROBS!
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.