A B767-300 cargo first officer descends below the GS during a visual approach to runway 29 at oak, c...

Attributes
ACN	489080
Time
Date	200010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : oak.vor
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : o90.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 29 other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 5500 flight time type : 980
ASRS Report	489080
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During the arrival phase of my flight from ont to oak, we were cleared to alvar -- the IAF for the ILS runway 29 approach into oak. This was followed by a descent to 10000 ft then 8000 ft. We switched from center to oak approach and were asked (very early) if we had the airport insight. I don't recall the captain's response (PNF), but we were subsequently cleared to cross 6 DME oakland at or above 2000 ft and apparently we were cleared for the visual to runway 29. I recall the phraseology seemed a little nonstandard. The 2000 ft restr would leave me about 500 ft above GS (approximately 5 DME from threshold). I opted to descend early, configure for landing, then commence my descent to the runway at the oak 6 DME point. Approaching 4000 ft, the captain requested I level off and recapture the glide path. I did so, remaining in localizer mode and staying at or above the GS for the remainder of the visual approach. In our debrief, following the flight, the captain explained that the leveloff had been due to his concern about descending below the floor of san francisco's class B airspace. His action was the corrective action. We were not monitoring the sfo DME so neither of us was certain if we did in fact descend below the floor. Contributing factors which led to this potential violation, were the oak approach controller's desire to turn us over to tower on a visual (outside 25 DME) and the use of an unusual restr and nonstandard phraseology. This, coupled with my lack of familiarity with the san francisco airspace and oak approach's normal operating procedures, led me down the path towards this potential violation. The captain's request to level was the corrective action. This potential violation could have been avoided if I had stuck by 2 of my cardinal rules of flying information unfamiliar airport: 1) don't accept a visual when unfamiliar, and 2) back up the visual by staying on the approach profile (ie, localizer and GS). Additionally I have reviewed the applicable FARS and will include a thorough review of class B airspace parameters I future preflight planning.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 CARGO FO DSNDS BELOW THE GS DURING A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 29 AT OAK, CA.

Narrative: DURING THE ARR PHASE OF MY FLT FROM ONT TO OAK, WE WERE CLRED TO ALVAR -- THE IAF FOR THE ILS RWY 29 APCH INTO OAK. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A DSCNT TO 10000 FT THEN 8000 FT. WE SWITCHED FROM CTR TO OAK APCH AND WERE ASKED (VERY EARLY) IF WE HAD THE ARPT INSIGHT. I DON'T RECALL THE CAPT'S RESPONSE (PNF), BUT WE WERE SUBSEQUENTLY CLRED TO CROSS 6 DME OAKLAND AT OR ABOVE 2000 FT AND APPARENTLY WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 29. I RECALL THE PHRASEOLOGY SEEMED A LITTLE NONSTANDARD. THE 2000 FT RESTR WOULD LEAVE ME ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE GS (APPROX 5 DME FROM THRESHOLD). I OPTED TO DSND EARLY, CONFIGURE FOR LNDG, THEN COMMENCE MY DSCNT TO THE RWY AT THE OAK 6 DME POINT. APCHING 4000 FT, THE CAPT REQUESTED I LEVEL OFF AND RECAPTURE THE GLIDE PATH. I DID SO, REMAINING IN LOC MODE AND STAYING AT OR ABOVE THE GS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE VISUAL APCH. IN OUR DEBRIEF, FOLLOWING THE FLT, THE CAPT EXPLAINED THAT THE LEVELOFF HAD BEEN DUE TO HIS CONCERN ABOUT DSNDING BELOW THE FLOOR OF SAN FRANCISCO'S CLASS B AIRSPACE. HIS ACTION WAS THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. WE WERE NOT MONITORING THE SFO DME SO NEITHER OF US WAS CERTAIN IF WE DID IN FACT DSND BELOW THE FLOOR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WHICH LED TO THIS POTENTIAL VIOLATION, WERE THE OAK APCH CTLR'S DESIRE TO TURN US OVER TO TWR ON A VISUAL (OUTSIDE 25 DME) AND THE USE OF AN UNUSUAL RESTR AND NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. THIS, COUPLED WITH MY LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE SAN FRANCISCO AIRSPACE AND OAK APCH'S NORMAL OPERATING PROCS, LED ME DOWN THE PATH TOWARDS THIS POTENTIAL VIOLATION. THE CAPT'S REQUEST TO LEVEL WAS THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THIS POTENTIAL VIOLATION COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF I HAD STUCK BY 2 OF MY CARDINAL RULES OF FLYING INFO UNFAMILIAR ARPT: 1) DON'T ACCEPT A VISUAL WHEN UNFAMILIAR, AND 2) BACK UP THE VISUAL BY STAYING ON THE APCH PROFILE (IE, LOC AND GS). ADDITIONALLY I HAVE REVIEWED THE APPLICABLE FARS AND WILL INCLUDE A THOROUGH REVIEW OF CLASS B AIRSPACE PARAMETERS I FUTURE PREFLT PLANNING.

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.

A B767-300 cargo first officer descends below the GS during a visual approach to runway 29 at oak, ca.