Near midair collision. Air carrier was cleared for a visual approach, but has a 300 ft near midair collision with opposite direction traffic at the OM (below them) and the controller's response was 'I told you to maintain 3000 ft' (1100 ft high at this point).

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Attributes
ACN	303505
Time
Date	199505
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2700 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7500
ASRS Report	303505
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	303504
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 0 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

We were flying from mry to sfo. While on bsr approach for a tipp-toe visual for runway 28L, bay approach gave us a heading to intercept the final and to maintain 3000 ft. He called traffic, a B-737, for the right side. We said we had him in sight. Then he told us to report the field in sight. When we told him we had the field in sight, he cleared us for either 1) the visual for runway 28L, or 2) the tipp-toe for runway 28L -- don't recall. We were approaching the brijj still at 3000 ft. Captain said 'want the gear?' gotta get down. I just called for some flaps and a lower altitude in the window. Passing approximately 2700 ft we got a TCASII warning to climb. Looking out of my right window, I saw a king air heading south just underneath us. When questioned, the controller said 'I told you to maintain 3000 ft.' somewhat confusing and concerning. Not real safe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NMAC. ACR WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH, BUT HAS A 300 FT NMAC WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT THE OM (BELOW THEM) AND THE CTLR'S RESPONSE WAS 'I TOLD YOU TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT' (1100 FT HIGH AT THIS POINT).

Narrative: WE WERE FLYING FROM MRY TO SFO. WHILE ON BSR APCH FOR A TIPP-TOE VISUAL FOR RWY 28L, BAY APCH GAVE US A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE FINAL AND TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT. HE CALLED TFC, A B-737, FOR THE R SIDE. WE SAID WE HAD HIM IN SIGHT. THEN HE TOLD US TO RPT THE FIELD IN SIGHT. WHEN WE TOLD HIM WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, HE CLRED US FOR EITHER 1) THE VISUAL FOR RWY 28L, OR 2) THE TIPP-TOE FOR RWY 28L -- DON'T RECALL. WE WERE APCHING THE BRIJJ STILL AT 3000 FT. CAPT SAID 'WANT THE GEAR?' GOTTA GET DOWN. I JUST CALLED FOR SOME FLAPS AND A LOWER ALT IN THE WINDOW. PASSING APPROX 2700 FT WE GOT A TCASII WARNING TO CLB. LOOKING OUT OF MY R WINDOW, I SAW A KING AIR HDG S JUST UNDERNEATH US. WHEN QUESTIONED, THE CTLR SAID 'I TOLD YOU TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT.' SOMEWHAT CONFUSING AND CONCERNING. NOT REAL SAFE.

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.