B737 crew landed with 25 degree flaps instead of the intended 30 degree flaps.

Attributes
ACN	615009
Time
Date	200404
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : sfo.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : charted visual approach : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	615009
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 17000 flight time type : 50
ASRS Report	615010
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : company policies non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : voice alert activated other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Big sur two arrival into sfo -- anticipated and received tip toe visual to runway 28L. Thoroughly briefed (30 degree flap) visual and ILS to runway 28L. In descent from 5000 ft altitude restr at menlo were given approach controller (frequency) change. New controller changed clearance to quiet bridge visual runway 28R, gave us parallel traffic at 9 O'clock position, and pressed us to call the traffic, bridge, and runway in sight. Scrambling to comply, I lost situational awareness as I set up first officer for approach. Back in loop realized descent was not fast enough and (temporarily) put first officer to 40 degree flaps to get down. On GS meant to return to 30 degree flap, but selected 25 degrees. Realized error when voice alert activated. Speed was adequate for 25 degree flap landing and had first officer continue now stabilized approach to a proper touchdown. Problems: first officer new to airplane requiring maximum supervision. Demanding visual approach complicated by last min change by controller. My judgement accepting new approach that overtasked me. (I was verbally flying the approach as I set up the first officer as I monitored parallel traffic as I handle the radios. Even with veteran first officer we would have been challenged, but could have adequately handled the approach.) my judgement accepting, albeit a safe landing, one that was not within SOP. A go around would have created its own problems, but was the proper response.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737 CREW LANDED WITH 25 DEG FLAPS INSTEAD OF THE INTENDED 30 DEG FLAPS.

Narrative: BIG SUR TWO ARR INTO SFO -- ANTICIPATED AND RECEIVED TIP TOE VISUAL TO RWY 28L. THOROUGHLY BRIEFED (30 DEG FLAP) VISUAL AND ILS TO RWY 28L. IN DSCNT FROM 5000 FT ALT RESTR AT MENLO WERE GIVEN APCH CTLR (FREQ) CHANGE. NEW CTLR CHANGED CLRNC TO QUIET BRIDGE VISUAL RWY 28R, GAVE US PARALLEL TFC AT 9 O'CLOCK POS, AND PRESSED US TO CALL THE TFC, BRIDGE, AND RWY IN SIGHT. SCRAMBLING TO COMPLY, I LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AS I SET UP FO FOR APCH. BACK IN LOOP REALIZED DSCNT WAS NOT FAST ENOUGH AND (TEMPORARILY) PUT FO TO 40 DEG FLAPS TO GET DOWN. ON GS MEANT TO RETURN TO 30 DEG FLAP, BUT SELECTED 25 DEGS. REALIZED ERROR WHEN VOICE ALERT ACTIVATED. SPD WAS ADEQUATE FOR 25 DEG FLAP LNDG AND HAD FO CONTINUE NOW STABILIZED APCH TO A PROPER TOUCHDOWN. PROBS: FO NEW TO AIRPLANE REQUIRING MAX SUPERVISION. DEMANDING VISUAL APCH COMPLICATED BY LAST MIN CHANGE BY CTLR. MY JUDGEMENT ACCEPTING NEW APCH THAT OVERTASKED ME. (I WAS VERBALLY FLYING THE APCH AS I SET UP THE FO AS I MONITORED PARALLEL TFC AS I HANDLE THE RADIOS. EVEN WITH VETERAN FO WE WOULD HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED, BUT COULD HAVE ADEQUATELY HANDLED THE APCH.) MY JUDGEMENT ACCEPTING, ALBEIT A SAFE LNDG, ONE THAT WAS NOT WITHIN SOP. A GAR WOULD HAVE CREATED ITS OWN PROBS, BUT WAS THE PROPER RESPONSE.

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.