Narrative:

Approaching sfo from woodside VOR on an IFR flight plan to land at sfo, WX was 2500 ft scattered, most (heavy) traffic was being brought in over the bay for visuals to runway 28L/28R, meaning other traffic was approaching from the east or northeast. Presumably for separation, I was vectored in from the southeast. This was my first landing at sfo and bay approach was advised that I was unfamiliar with the area. Pilots approaching from the east or northeast were able to execute visual approachs. There was a cloud bank from 2000-4000 ft south and sse of the airport, and I was unable to establish visual contact with sfo when approaching from the southeast. I advised the controller of the cloud situation, but we did not communicate effectively as he vectored me for I believe 3 failed visual approachs from the southeast. On the fourth approach I was brought in from the east, and allowed to descend to 2000 ft on final, which finally gave me a good visual. During all the vectoring and orbiting about, 2 violations may(?) have happened. 1) I was vectored into sits that were below cloud clearance minimums during visual operations, and 2) while trying to stay visual in the traffic mix, I think I violated an altitude assignment on 1 approach. I probably should have been more direct with the controller, and just told him that approachs from the southeast were no good. Instead, I told him of clouds and such, but did not offer any positive suggestions. Actually it was pretty busy and I thought also about just keeping the frequency clear and letting him work out his traffic flow in his own way, which eventually he did, finding a way to bring me in from the east where I was around and below the cloud bank that was giving the controller and me all the problems.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA CAME IN CLOSE PROX OF CLOUD AND DEVIATED FROM ASSIGNED ALT WHILE BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: APCHING SFO FROM WOODSIDE VOR ON AN IFR FLT PLAN TO LAND AT SFO, WX WAS 2500 FT SCATTERED, MOST (HVY) TFC WAS BEING BROUGHT IN OVER THE BAY FOR VISUALS TO RWY 28L/28R, MEANING OTHER TFC WAS APCHING FROM THE E OR NE. PRESUMABLY FOR SEPARATION, I WAS VECTORED IN FROM THE SE. THIS WAS MY FIRST LNDG AT SFO AND BAY APCH WAS ADVISED THAT I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA. PLTS APCHING FROM THE E OR NE WERE ABLE TO EXECUTE VISUAL APCHS. THERE WAS A CLOUD BANK FROM 2000-4000 FT S AND SSE OF THE ARPT, AND I WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH VISUAL CONTACT WITH SFO WHEN APCHING FROM THE SE. I ADVISED THE CTLR OF THE CLOUD SIT, BUT WE DID NOT COMMUNICATE EFFECTIVELY AS HE VECTORED ME FOR I BELIEVE 3 FAILED VISUAL APCHS FROM THE SE. ON THE FOURTH APCH I WAS BROUGHT IN FROM THE E, AND ALLOWED TO DSND TO 2000 FT ON FINAL, WHICH FINALLY GAVE ME A GOOD VISUAL. DURING ALL THE VECTORING AND ORBITING ABOUT, 2 VIOLATIONS MAY(?) HAVE HAPPENED. 1) I WAS VECTORED INTO SITS THAT WERE BELOW CLOUD CLRNC MINIMUMS DURING VISUAL OPS, AND 2) WHILE TRYING TO STAY VISUAL IN THE TFC MIX, I THINK I VIOLATED AN ALT ASSIGNMENT ON 1 APCH. I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE DIRECT WITH THE CTLR, AND JUST TOLD HIM THAT APCHS FROM THE SE WERE NO GOOD. INSTEAD, I TOLD HIM OF CLOUDS AND SUCH, BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY POSITIVE SUGGESTIONS. ACTUALLY IT WAS PRETTY BUSY AND I THOUGHT ALSO ABOUT JUST KEEPING THE FREQ CLR AND LETTING HIM WORK OUT HIS TFC FLOW IN HIS OWN WAY, WHICH EVENTUALLY HE DID, FINDING A WAY TO BRING ME IN FROM THE E WHERE I WAS AROUND AND BELOW THE CLOUD BANK THAT WAS GIVING THE CTLR AND ME ALL THE PROBS.

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.