Narrative:

Trip started with deadhead atl-lax (delayed atlanta). When we arrived lax people were already on aircraft and everything ready to go except for our preflight. We completed all items in a timely but, not rushed manner. Crew not too familiar with lax/sfo operations as captain from training department. (Flies 3 months/yr) and first officer displaced from international operations. We were busy with department/route and SID. First officer had aircraft in position to be at 10000 ft/250 at boldr on bsr. BSR1 arrival into sfo as published. ATC advised--keep your speed up. We maintained 310 KTS. At menlo we were vectored and asked if we saw a B-747 for runway 28R, we responded negative and were looking and slowing aircraft. We were cleared to intercept. Localizer for runway 28L and cleared ILS to runway 28L. We were high and fast on localizer intercept. When asked again if we had B-747 in sight, we stated yes. At this point we were cleared for the tip-toe visual to runway 28L. Not being familiar with this approach we were distracted to say the least. The aircraft was high and fast during the approach. As the L-1011 does not slow down and come down well when the approach is started high and fast. We were high/fast and gaining on the B-747 who was on visual to runway 28R. He had overshot and was correcting on course. We took the aircraft left of our localizer. To assure clearance and still comply with noise restrs. The closer in we got it became more apparent we were too fast, fully configured, and could not make a stabilized approach/land. Also, closure rate on B-747 on runway 28R was not to our liking and I'm sure not to the passenger sitting on the right side of our aircraft. We got a TA on our TCASII and started our missed approach at 500-700 ft immediately followed by an RA (one verbal) and advised tower and were vectored back to a normal approach/land. Contributing factors: crew tired from long delayed deadhead atl-lax. Inadequate time to review lax department, route, and sfo approach and arrs due to immediate departure, gate change and short flight. Unfamiliarity with lax/sfo west coast operations. Being given higher speed at boldr, resulting in starting from a position of high/fast while trying to spot another aircraft on a parallel runway. Changing from a familiar ILS approach to an unfamiliar visual approach and little time for review. In view of my experience into sfo I believe 'much' could be done for separation into sfo. Not a safe or satisfactory operation. ATC could give some advanced notice of what is going on and the approach expected. Better separation needed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII RA ON PARALLEL APCH, GAR EXECUTED.

Narrative: TRIP STARTED WITH DEADHEAD ATL-LAX (DELAYED ATLANTA). WHEN WE ARRIVED LAX PEOPLE WERE ALREADY ON ACFT AND EVERYTHING READY TO GO EXCEPT FOR OUR PREFLT. WE COMPLETED ALL ITEMS IN A TIMELY BUT, NOT RUSHED MANNER. CREW NOT TOO FAMILIAR WITH LAX/SFO OPS AS CAPT FROM TRAINING DEPT. (FLIES 3 MONTHS/YR) AND FO DISPLACED FROM INTL OPS. WE WERE BUSY WITH DEPT/RTE AND SID. FO HAD ACFT IN POS TO BE AT 10000 FT/250 AT BOLDR ON BSR. BSR1 ARR INTO SFO AS PUBLISHED. ATC ADVISED--KEEP YOUR SPD UP. WE MAINTAINED 310 KTS. AT MENLO WE WERE VECTORED AND ASKED IF WE SAW A B-747 FOR RWY 28R, WE RESPONDED NEGATIVE AND WERE LOOKING AND SLOWING ACFT. WE WERE CLRED TO INTERCEPT. LOC FOR RWY 28L AND CLRED ILS TO RWY 28L. WE WERE HIGH AND FAST ON LOC INTERCEPT. WHEN ASKED AGAIN IF WE HAD B-747 IN SIGHT, WE STATED YES. AT THIS POINT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE TIP-TOE VISUAL TO RWY 28L. NOT BEING FAMILIAR WITH THIS APCH WE WERE DISTRACTED TO SAY THE LEAST. THE ACFT WAS HIGH AND FAST DURING THE APCH. AS THE L-1011 DOES NOT SLOW DOWN AND COME DOWN WELL WHEN THE APCH IS STARTED HIGH AND FAST. WE WERE HIGH/FAST AND GAINING ON THE B-747 WHO WAS ON VISUAL TO RWY 28R. HE HAD OVERSHOT AND WAS CORRECTING ON COURSE. WE TOOK THE ACFT L OF OUR LOC. TO ASSURE CLRNC AND STILL COMPLY WITH NOISE RESTRS. THE CLOSER IN WE GOT IT BECAME MORE APPARENT WE WERE TOO FAST, FULLY CONFIGURED, AND COULD NOT MAKE A STABILIZED APCH/LAND. ALSO, CLOSURE RATE ON B-747 ON RWY 28R WAS NOT TO OUR LIKING AND I'M SURE NOT TO THE PAX SITTING ON THE R SIDE OF OUR ACFT. WE GOT A TA ON OUR TCASII AND STARTED OUR MISSED APCH AT 500-700 FT IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY AN RA (ONE VERBAL) AND ADVISED TWR AND WERE VECTORED BACK TO A NORMAL APCH/LAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: CREW TIRED FROM LONG DELAYED DEADHEAD ATL-LAX. INADEQUATE TIME TO REVIEW LAX DEPT, RTE, AND SFO APCH AND ARRS DUE TO IMMEDIATE DEP, GATE CHANGE AND SHORT FLT. UNFAMILIARITY WITH LAX/SFO W COAST OPS. BEING GIVEN HIGHER SPD AT BOLDR, RESULTING IN STARTING FROM A POS OF HIGH/FAST WHILE TRYING TO SPOT ANOTHER ACFT ON A PARALLEL RWY. CHANGING FROM A FAMILIAR ILS APCH TO AN UNFAMILIAR VISUAL APCH AND LITTLE TIME FOR REVIEW. IN VIEW OF MY EXPERIENCE INTO SFO I BELIEVE 'MUCH' COULD BE DONE FOR SEPARATION INTO SFO. NOT A SAFE OR SATISFACTORY OP. ATC COULD GIVE SOME ADVANCED NOTICE OF WHAT IS GOING ON AND THE APCH EXPECTED. BETTER SEPARATION NEEDED.

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.