Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 19L at sfo. Bay approach called traffic at our 2 or 3 O'clock position that was cleared for the parallel visual approach to runway 19R. We acknowledged the traffic and ATC told us to 'maintain visual separation -- he's cleared for the right and you're for the left.' bay approach had given us a direct sfo earlier (15 mi out) which gave us a 20 or 30 degree intercept right turn when cleared for the approach. I was the captain on the flight -- brand new to the airplane (135 total time including IOE) acting as PNF. My copilot was flying and has been with the airline for 7-8 months and on the airplane for 6 months. Our intercept looked fine and separation was fine. The copilot was slightly fast and was trying to make up time, we were 10 mins late. Just prior to 1000 ft I asked him if he wanted the gear? He said yes and called for the landing checklist -- 'final descent checklist.' I put the gear down as we flew through the runway centerline. I had my head down and was doing the checklist when I noticed my copilot had not made the turn to final but had flown through the centerline and was headed for our traffic. I immediately told him to make a turn to final to intercept and we did, but not before reducing our separation to approximately 300-400 ft. Too close for my comfort. The landing was uneventful. Contributing factors: 1) day 4 of a 4 day trip. 3 of the 4 days (the last 3) were all early get ups. XC00, XB30, and XA30 west coast time (domicile sfo) respectively. So we were tired. 2) I'm new to the left seat and have relied on my experienced capts to do their jobs properly. In my new position I cannot expect my coplts to have that same level of experience. That means I must once again become a flight instructor and watch over my flying partners with increased vigilance! 3) the copilot I was flying with always seemed to make his approachs from right of centerline. It seems his perspective is somewhat biased and is not normally a problem -- however, in this case it very well could have been. I didn't mention it to him at the time however, I'm going to call him today and talk to him so he can work on it and avoid the problem in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE FLC AFTER CALLING TFC IN SIGHT AND AGREEING TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FOR THE PARALLEL APCH LOST SEPARATION BY OVERSHOOTING THE FINAL TURN. THE PNF PROMPTED THE FO TO PUT THE GEAR DOWN AND BECAME OCCUPIED WITH THE BEFORE LNDG CHKLIST. THE PNF HAD TO PROMPT THE PF TO COMMENCE THE TURN TO FINAL WHICH RESULTED IN AN OVERSHOOT AND LOSS OF COMFORTABLE SEPARATION FROM THE TFC ON THE PARALLEL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19L AT SFO. BAY APCH CALLED TFC AT OUR 2 OR 3 O'CLOCK POS THAT WAS CLRED FOR THE PARALLEL VISUAL APCH TO RWY 19R. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE TFC AND ATC TOLD US TO 'MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION -- HE'S CLRED FOR THE R AND YOU'RE FOR THE L.' BAY APCH HAD GIVEN US A DIRECT SFO EARLIER (15 MI OUT) WHICH GAVE US A 20 OR 30 DEG INTERCEPT R TURN WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH. I WAS THE CAPT ON THE FLT -- BRAND NEW TO THE AIRPLANE (135 TOTAL TIME INCLUDING IOE) ACTING AS PNF. MY COPLT WAS FLYING AND HAS BEEN WITH THE AIRLINE FOR 7-8 MONTHS AND ON THE AIRPLANE FOR 6 MONTHS. OUR INTERCEPT LOOKED FINE AND SEPARATION WAS FINE. THE COPLT WAS SLIGHTLY FAST AND WAS TRYING TO MAKE UP TIME, WE WERE 10 MINS LATE. JUST PRIOR TO 1000 FT I ASKED HIM IF HE WANTED THE GEAR? HE SAID YES AND CALLED FOR THE LNDG CHKLIST -- 'FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST.' I PUT THE GEAR DOWN AS WE FLEW THROUGH THE RWY CTRLINE. I HAD MY HEAD DOWN AND WAS DOING THE CHKLIST WHEN I NOTICED MY COPLT HAD NOT MADE THE TURN TO FINAL BUT HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE CTRLINE AND WAS HEADED FOR OUR TFC. I IMMEDIATELY TOLD HIM TO MAKE A TURN TO FINAL TO INTERCEPT AND WE DID, BUT NOT BEFORE REDUCING OUR SEPARATION TO APPROX 300-400 FT. TOO CLOSE FOR MY COMFORT. THE LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) DAY 4 OF A 4 DAY TRIP. 3 OF THE 4 DAYS (THE LAST 3) WERE ALL EARLY GET UPS. XC00, XB30, AND XA30 WEST COAST TIME (DOMICILE SFO) RESPECTIVELY. SO WE WERE TIRED. 2) I'M NEW TO THE L SEAT AND HAVE RELIED ON MY EXPERIENCED CAPTS TO DO THEIR JOBS PROPERLY. IN MY NEW POS I CANNOT EXPECT MY COPLTS TO HAVE THAT SAME LEVEL OF EXPERIENCE. THAT MEANS I MUST ONCE AGAIN BECOME A FLT INSTRUCTOR AND WATCH OVER MY FLYING PARTNERS WITH INCREASED VIGILANCE! 3) THE COPLT I WAS FLYING WITH ALWAYS SEEMED TO MAKE HIS APCHS FROM R OF CTRLINE. IT SEEMS HIS PERSPECTIVE IS SOMEWHAT BIASED AND IS NOT NORMALLY A PROB -- HOWEVER, IN THIS CASE IT VERY WELL COULD HAVE BEEN. I DIDN'T MENTION IT TO HIM AT THE TIME HOWEVER, I'M GOING TO CALL HIM TODAY AND TALK TO HIM SO HE CAN WORK ON IT AND AVOID THE PROB IN THE FUTURE.

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.