B767 flight crew has TCASII alert during approach to sfo.

Attributes
ACN	569673
Time
Date	200212
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 6700
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 28r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : modesto.two
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 400 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 5600
ASRS Report	569673
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time type : 2959
ASRS Report	570224
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took precautionary avoidance action
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared to archi intersection at 7000 ft to plan for the FMS bridge visual runway 28R. This approach was briefed and inserted into the FMS. Prior to reaching archi assigned by ATC a heading of 220 degrees at 210 KTS and to plan for and to intercept for the visual runway 28L. My first officer configured the FMS and we briefed for the approach. ATC then changed our clearance again for us to proceed direct to archi intersection and cleared us for the FMS bridge visual runway 28R again. By the time the first officer had set up archi in the FMS, we were practically over the intersection, maybe inside. Since the instruction from ATC was cleared for the FMS visual and we were inside archi, I instructed my first officer to set 6000 ft on the MCP and started descent so as to cross next fix 'trdow' at or above 6000 ft. Through approximately 6700 ft, we received a TCASII RA 'traffic alert.' I responded by following RA and climbed to 7000-7200 ft. ATC shortly after came on and told us to maintain 7000 ft and gave us a heading right off course to 280-285 degrees and then reclred us for the FMS runway 28R after we informed him that we had the runway in sight. Rest of approach was uneventful. WX was a factor, as was ATC/pilot workload. We were getting task saturated due to the changes in clrncs over a short period. Also, confusion arose whether the controller actually wanted us to descend as we did following the FMS bridge visual runway 28R. I was quite certain he cleared us for the approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 FLC HAS TCASII ALERT DURING APCH TO SFO.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED TO ARCHI INTXN AT 7000 FT TO PLAN FOR THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R. THIS APCH WAS BRIEFED AND INSERTED INTO THE FMS. PRIOR TO REACHING ARCHI ASSIGNED BY ATC A HDG OF 220 DEGS AT 210 KTS AND TO PLAN FOR AND TO INTERCEPT FOR THE VISUAL RWY 28L. MY FO CONFIGURED THE FMS AND WE BRIEFED FOR THE APCH. ATC THEN CHANGED OUR CLRNC AGAIN FOR US TO PROCEED DIRECT TO ARCHI INTXN AND CLRED US FOR THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R AGAIN. BY THE TIME THE FO HAD SET UP ARCHI IN THE FMS, WE WERE PRACTICALLY OVER THE INTXN, MAYBE INSIDE. SINCE THE INSTRUCTION FROM ATC WAS CLRED FOR THE FMS VISUAL AND WE WERE INSIDE ARCHI, I INSTRUCTED MY FO TO SET 6000 FT ON THE MCP AND STARTED DSCNT SO AS TO CROSS NEXT FIX 'TRDOW' AT OR ABOVE 6000 FT. THROUGH APPROX 6700 FT, WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA 'TFC ALERT.' I RESPONDED BY FOLLOWING RA AND CLBED TO 7000-7200 FT. ATC SHORTLY AFTER CAME ON AND TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 7000 FT AND GAVE US A HDG RIGHT OFF COURSE TO 280-285 DEGS AND THEN RECLRED US FOR THE FMS RWY 28R AFTER WE INFORMED HIM THAT WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT. REST OF APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. WX WAS A FACTOR, AS WAS ATC/PLT WORKLOAD. WE WERE GETTING TASK SATURATED DUE TO THE CHANGES IN CLRNCS OVER A SHORT PERIOD. ALSO, CONFUSION AROSE WHETHER THE CTLR ACTUALLY WANTED US TO DSND AS WE DID FOLLOWING THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R. I WAS QUITE CERTAIN HE CLRED US FOR THE APCH.

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.