Miscommunication between heavy transport arriving sfo and bay approach controller.

Attributes
ACN	120090
Time
Date	198908
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5400 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 15800 flight time type : 7400
ASRS Report	120090
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	121036
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Arriving into sfo via the modesto one arrival, oakland center told us to depart the cedes intersection heading 240 degree to intercept the 095 degree radial of sfo, descend to 7000 and contact bay approach on 134.5. Upon contacting bay approach they asked if we had sfo airport in sight, which I answered in the affirmative. Approach then cleared us to cross 23 DME from sfo at or above 7000 and cleared for a visual approach to 28R at sfo. We crossed 23 DME at 7000' and started down. At approximately 19 DME approach control asked what our altitude was and we reported going thru 5400. Approach control's response was that we had been cleared for a quiet bridge approach and should have not descended below 6000' until crossing 18 DME from sfo. I responded that my understanding was that we had been cleared for a visual approach to 28R at sfo. We were then told to contact tower on 120.5.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISCOMMUNICATION BETWEEN HVT ARRIVING SFO AND BAY APCH CTLR.

Narrative: ARRIVING INTO SFO VIA THE MODESTO ONE ARRIVAL, OAKLAND CENTER TOLD US TO DEPART THE CEDES INTXN HDG 240 DEG TO INTERCEPT THE 095 DEG RADIAL OF SFO, DSND TO 7000 AND CONTACT BAY APCH ON 134.5. UPON CONTACTING BAY APCH THEY ASKED IF WE HAD SFO ARPT IN SIGHT, WHICH I ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. APCH THEN CLRED US TO CROSS 23 DME FROM SFO AT OR ABOVE 7000 AND CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 28R AT SFO. WE CROSSED 23 DME AT 7000' AND STARTED DOWN. AT APPROX 19 DME APCH CTL ASKED WHAT OUR ALT WAS AND WE REPORTED GOING THRU 5400. APCH CTL'S RESPONSE WAS THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A QUIET BRIDGE APCH AND SHOULD HAVE NOT DESCENDED BELOW 6000' UNTIL XING 18 DME FROM SFO. I RESPONDED THAT MY UNDERSTANDING WAS THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO 28R AT SFO. WE WERE THEN TOLD TO CONTACT TWR ON 120.5.

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.