Medium large transport s-turns for spacing and crosses over centerline of parallel runway.

Attributes
ACN	265955
Time
Date	199403
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 800 msl bound upper : 800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	265955
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Sfo approach turned B747 in front of us for landing runway 28R. Captain decided we wouldn't land behind him because we were closer than 5 mi (about 3). Winds were straight down runway and light. Captain began exchange with busy tower. Finally tower cleared us to s-turn (we were inside brijj). Captain sighted B737 landing on runway 28L and instructed me to turn behind B737, crossing runway 28L extended centerline. Tower then said he wanted s-turn away from runway 28L, not toward. We were subsequently cleared to land runway 28R. Captain should have resolved his proximity problem prior to final visual fix. We had plenty of time and warning to go back out. Approach could have been more specific about his plan and we could've worked with him, rather than waiting till tower. Maybe I should have continued, as I didn't see any problem due to lack of crosswind on final. Captain and I had already had some slight differences, and so in busy traffic, I decided not to contribute to any confusion or distraction.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG S-TURNS FOR SPACING AND CROSSES OVER CTRLINE OF PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: SFO APCH TURNED B747 IN FRONT OF US FOR LNDG RWY 28R. CAPT DECIDED WE WOULDN'T LAND BEHIND HIM BECAUSE WE WERE CLOSER THAN 5 MI (ABOUT 3). WINDS WERE STRAIGHT DOWN RWY AND LIGHT. CAPT BEGAN EXCHANGE WITH BUSY TWR. FINALLY TWR CLRED US TO S-TURN (WE WERE INSIDE BRIJJ). CAPT SIGHTED B737 LNDG ON RWY 28L AND INSTRUCTED ME TO TURN BEHIND B737, XING RWY 28L EXTENDED CTRLINE. TWR THEN SAID HE WANTED S-TURN AWAY FROM RWY 28L, NOT TOWARD. WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO LAND RWY 28R. CAPT SHOULD HAVE RESOLVED HIS PROX PROB PRIOR TO FINAL VISUAL FIX. WE HAD PLENTY OF TIME AND WARNING TO GO BACK OUT. APCH COULD HAVE BEEN MORE SPECIFIC ABOUT HIS PLAN AND WE COULD'VE WORKED WITH HIM, RATHER THAN WAITING TILL TWR. MAYBE I SHOULD HAVE CONTINUED, AS I DIDN'T SEE ANY PROB DUE TO LACK OF XWIND ON FINAL. CAPT AND I HAD ALREADY HAD SOME SLIGHT DIFFERENCES, AND SO IN BUSY TFC, I DECIDED NOT TO CONTRIBUTE TO ANY CONFUSION OR DISTR.

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.