B777 on final for sfo runway 28L described a go around event involving a B757 on final for runway 28...

Narrative:

We were told by approach control that the traffic in sight off our right was slowing to 160 kt and was to follow us. He was for 28R; we were for 28L approach said; 'maintain 180 to the bridge traffic is at 160 and will follow'. As soon as we checked on with the tower; about over the bridge; he told us we were to keep the traffic off our right in sight to the runway. This was a complete reversal of what approach control had just told us. We scrambled to configure to slow and try and keep the traffic in sight when we received at descend RA. We were in a descent so a slight increase in rate and putting the TCAS to 'RA only' silenced the warning. The tower then told the 757 off our right to go around; that the 777 has passed you. The first officer at that point looked out his window and realized he could no longer see the traffic. We continued to a normal landing. Extremely high workload and a complete reversal of instructions from approach to tower led to a very busy approach. I'm not sure if we violated anything or not.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 on final for SFO Runway 28L described a go around event involving a B757 on final for Runway 28R claiming the instructions from the Approach Controller were reversed by the Tower Controller causing the event.

Narrative: We were told by Approach Control that the traffic in sight off our right was slowing to 160 kt and was to follow us. He was for 28R; we were for 28L Approach said; 'maintain 180 to the bridge traffic is at 160 and will follow'. As soon as we checked on with the Tower; about over the bridge; he told us we were to keep the traffic off our right in sight to the runway. This was a complete reversal of what Approach Control had just told us. We scrambled to configure to slow and try and keep the traffic in sight when we received at descend RA. We were in a descent so a slight increase in rate and putting the TCAS to 'RA Only' silenced the warning. The Tower then told the 757 off our right to go around; that the 777 has passed you. The First Officer at that point looked out his window and realized he could no longer see the traffic. We continued to a normal landing. Extremely high workload and a complete reversal of instructions from Approach to Tower led to a very busy approach. I'm not sure if we violated anything or not.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	913270
Time
Date	201010
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	SFO.Airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Captain Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 161 Flight Crew Total 16000 Flight Crew Type 3300
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types

B777 on final for sfo runway 28L described a go around event involving a B757 on final for runway 28R claiming the instructions from the approach controller were reversed by the tower controller causing the event.