Narrative:

During arrival at sfo we were given the quiet bridge visual approach to runway 28R. The WX existing at the time satisfied the minimums (1000 ft ceiling and 3 mi visibility at sfo and 2400 ft ceiling and 5 mi visibility at the bridge) required with clear over the bridge and 1000 ft ceiling at sfo with a scattered layer at 700 ft evident near the airport, visibility was unlimited. I elected to descend to 1000 ft AGL crossing the bridge to make sure we could maintain visual with runway 28R and confirm that the ceiling was in fact 1000 ft or higher. We had parallel traffic on runway 28L. During the segment between the bridge and touchdown, I found myself unintentionally descending to 700 ft AGL due to the distrs presented by the parallel traffic, 700 ft scattered layer and my desire to maintain visual with runway 28R. By the time this early descent was brought to my attention by my crew, aircraft and tower, we were in a position to intercept the GS and continue the visual approach. I believe the WX requirements for the approach should be raised so that no cloud is allowed below 1000 ft at sfo. The situation at sfo which puts pressure on both ATC and pilots to avoid switching to use of the ILS approachs for the 28 runways until the WX has deteriorated past that which is prudent for visual approachs is a well known hazard and should be remedied. It is absurd that while flying the most sophisticated aircraft in our fleet I find myself scud running, at the request of ATC, into one of the world's busiest airports.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR TURBOJET CREW ON A CHARTED VISUAL APCH INTO SFO ENCOUNTERED LOW SCATTERED CLOUDS ON FINAL REQUIRING A LOWER THAN NORMAL APCH.

Narrative: DURING ARR AT SFO WE WERE GIVEN THE QUIET BRIDGE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28R. THE WX EXISTING AT THE TIME SATISFIED THE MINIMUMS (1000 FT CEILING AND 3 MI VISIBILITY AT SFO AND 2400 FT CEILING AND 5 MI VISIBILITY AT THE BRIDGE) REQUIRED WITH CLR OVER THE BRIDGE AND 1000 FT CEILING AT SFO WITH A SCATTERED LAYER AT 700 FT EVIDENT NEAR THE ARPT, VISIBILITY WAS UNLIMITED. I ELECTED TO DSND TO 1000 FT AGL XING THE BRIDGE TO MAKE SURE WE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH RWY 28R AND CONFIRM THAT THE CEILING WAS IN FACT 1000 FT OR HIGHER. WE HAD PARALLEL TFC ON RWY 28L. DURING THE SEGMENT BTWN THE BRIDGE AND TOUCHDOWN, I FOUND MYSELF UNINTENTIONALLY DSNDING TO 700 FT AGL DUE TO THE DISTRS PRESENTED BY THE PARALLEL TFC, 700 FT SCATTERED LAYER AND MY DESIRE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH RWY 28R. BY THE TIME THIS EARLY DSCNT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN BY MY CREW, ACFT AND TWR, WE WERE IN A POS TO INTERCEPT THE GS AND CONTINUE THE VISUAL APCH. I BELIEVE THE WX REQUIREMENTS FOR THE APCH SHOULD BE RAISED SO THAT NO CLOUD IS ALLOWED BELOW 1000 FT AT SFO. THE SIT AT SFO WHICH PUTS PRESSURE ON BOTH ATC AND PLTS TO AVOID SWITCHING TO USE OF THE ILS APCHS FOR THE 28 RWYS UNTIL THE WX HAS DETERIORATED PAST THAT WHICH IS PRUDENT FOR VISUAL APCHS IS A WELL KNOWN HAZARD AND SHOULD BE REMEDIED. IT IS ABSURD THAT WHILE FLYING THE MOST SOPHISTICATED ACFT IN OUR FLEET I FIND MYSELF SCUD RUNNING, AT THE REQUEST OF ATC, INTO ONE OF THE WORLD'S BUSIEST ARPTS.

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.