Narrative:

While on a visual 'quiet bridge' approach to sfo our TCASII gave an RA of 'climb, crossing, climb' when descending through about 1300 MSL. The TCASII displayed a conflict red symbol very close at about 12 O'clock, 300 ft below. First officer (flying) started a climb. I advised tower of missed approach and we were told to fly 280 degree climb to 3000, change to approach frequency. On new frequency we were assigned a turn of 180 to heading of 100. I think I heard 'right to 100' as does the copilot who started a right turn. Copilot then asked me if that was a heading of 100, as I had set on mode control panel, or 010 degree. I asked approach control to confirm that we were assigned right to 100. He responded 'negative, turn left to 100.' he said a further right turn would cause a conflict with inbound traffic. We corrected to the left before passing through north heading flew downwind to land on 28L. As we were expecting a right turn (the published missed approach heading is right to 310 and parallel approachs to 28L were in progress). We 'heard' right turn. I'm still not sure what was first given as a direction of turn. Due to the high workload, noise level in a normal missed approach, I would suggest that any issued instructions contrary to those published, particularly the direction of turn, be emphasized by the controller, that he listen for the correct readback. In this particular missed approach the workload was higher than normal as the aircraft did not respond to normal mode control settings (the first officer had disconnected the automatic throttles, autoplt) and the TCASII command was a total surprise.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ON FINAL VFR PARALLEL APCH TO SFO AT 1300 MSL HAD TCASII RA, WENT AROUND, CONFUSION AS TO R OR L TURN TO 100 HDG.

Narrative: WHILE ON A VISUAL 'QUIET BRIDGE' APCH TO SFO OUR TCASII GAVE AN RA OF 'CLB, XING, CLB' WHEN DSNDING THROUGH ABOUT 1300 MSL. THE TCASII DISPLAYED A CONFLICT RED SYMBOL VERY CLOSE AT ABOUT 12 O'CLOCK, 300 FT BELOW. FO (FLYING) STARTED A CLB. I ADVISED TWR OF MISSED APCH AND WE WERE TOLD TO FLY 280 DEG CLB TO 3000, CHANGE TO APCH FREQ. ON NEW FREQ WE WERE ASSIGNED A TURN OF 180 TO HDG OF 100. I THINK I HEARD 'R TO 100' AS DOES THE COPLT WHO STARTED A R TURN. COPLT THEN ASKED ME IF THAT WAS A HDG OF 100, AS I HAD SET ON MODE CTL PANEL, OR 010 DEG. I ASKED APCH CTL TO CONFIRM THAT WE WERE ASSIGNED R TO 100. HE RESPONDED 'NEGATIVE, TURN L TO 100.' HE SAID A FURTHER R TURN WOULD CAUSE A CONFLICT WITH INBOUND TFC. WE CORRECTED TO THE L BEFORE PASSING THROUGH N HDG FLEW DOWNWIND TO LAND ON 28L. AS WE WERE EXPECTING A R TURN (THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH HDG IS R TO 310 AND PARALLEL APCHS TO 28L WERE IN PROGRESS). WE 'HEARD' R TURN. I'M STILL NOT SURE WHAT WAS FIRST GIVEN AS A DIRECTION OF TURN. DUE TO THE HIGH WORKLOAD, NOISE LEVEL IN A NORMAL MISSED APCH, I WOULD SUGGEST THAT ANY ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS CONTRARY TO THOSE PUBLISHED, PARTICULARLY THE DIRECTION OF TURN, BE EMPHASIZED BY THE CTLR, THAT HE LISTEN FOR THE CORRECT READBACK. IN THIS PARTICULAR MISSED APCH THE WORKLOAD WAS HIGHER THAN NORMAL AS THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND TO NORMAL MODE CTL SETTINGS (THE FO HAD DISCONNECTED THE AUTO THROTTLES, AUTOPLT) AND THE TCASII COMMAND WAS A TOTAL SURPRISE.

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.