B757 landing sfo experienced marginal WX during visual approach.

Attributes
ACN	577066
Time
Date	200303
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Weather Elements	Rain
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : nct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : charted visual approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	577066
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

We were being vectored down the bay for a visual approach to runway 28R at sfo. The FMS bridge visual approach has been left out of our database, so we had setup and briefed for the quiet bridge runway 28L/right approach. ATIS was calling for a 5000 ft ceiling and 6 mi visibility in light rain showers. 'Charted' visual approachs were in use. At 2500 ft on a vector to the airport, we were still in and out of the clouds and could see the san mateo bridge, but no runway or airport. Approach descended us to 1500 ft and kept asking if we had the runway in sight -- we replied in the negative. Approach asked us to tune in and join the localizer for runway 28R, but he did not change our heading. The ILS was already set, but there was not time to reprogram the FMC and rebrief the approach as required by our fom. As I keyed the microphone to ask for a delay vector, I saw the runway and VASI at 1 O'clock. An uneventful landing was made. The WX (ie, rain showers) were restricting the visibility, and they were still attempting visual approachs. This put us in an uncomfortable position for a few seconds. I should have asked to be boxed around for an ILS approach when he asked me to join the localizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 LNDG SFO EXPERIENCED MARGINAL WX DURING VISUAL APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED DOWN THE BAY FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28R AT SFO. THE FMS BRIDGE VISUAL APCH HAS BEEN LEFT OUT OF OUR DATABASE, SO WE HAD SETUP AND BRIEFED FOR THE QUIET BRIDGE RWY 28L/R APCH. ATIS WAS CALLING FOR A 5000 FT CEILING AND 6 MI VISIBILITY IN LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS. 'CHARTED' VISUAL APCHS WERE IN USE. AT 2500 FT ON A VECTOR TO THE ARPT, WE WERE STILL IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS AND COULD SEE THE SAN MATEO BRIDGE, BUT NO RWY OR ARPT. APCH DSNDED US TO 1500 FT AND KEPT ASKING IF WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT -- WE REPLIED IN THE NEGATIVE. APCH ASKED US TO TUNE IN AND JOIN THE LOC FOR RWY 28R, BUT HE DID NOT CHANGE OUR HDG. THE ILS WAS ALREADY SET, BUT THERE WAS NOT TIME TO REPROGRAM THE FMC AND REBRIEF THE APCH AS REQUIRED BY OUR FOM. AS I KEYED THE MIKE TO ASK FOR A DELAY VECTOR, I SAW THE RWY AND VASI AT 1 O'CLOCK. AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG WAS MADE. THE WX (IE, RAIN SHOWERS) WERE RESTRICTING THE VISIBILITY, AND THEY WERE STILL ATTEMPTING VISUAL APCHS. THIS PUT US IN AN UNCOMFORTABLE POS FOR A FEW SECONDS. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED TO BE BOXED AROUND FOR AN ILS APCH WHEN HE ASKED ME TO JOIN THE LOC.

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.