Narrative:

Somewhat light non-demanding arrs for runways 28R and 28L during the 45 mins I was on position prior to incident. Most arrs were 4-6 mi in trail of the previous arrival with an occasional pair (one for the left and right). Aircraft were checking in on 1 of 3 approach clrncs ILS runway 28R visual runway 28L or visual runway 28R. Light non-demanding departures, advertised departing runways 1L and 1R with occasional requests for departure off runway 28R and 28L. B733 inbound, all indications were they were on a visual for runway 28L (data tag). After listening to the tapes, aircraft did not check in until short final, so there were no verbal clues. C56X requested departure from runway 28R at intersection east. Seeing traffic 2 mi final for runway 28L, I cleared the citation for takeoff. At which point the B733 pilot advised 'we are very short final for runway 28R.' as noted above, this was the first transmission heard from this aircraft. I instructed them to go around. At the time of the incident, I did not remember not talking to the B733 prior to sending them around. Note: due to the close proximity of the 2 runways (750 ft centerline-to-centerline) it is nearly impossible to see which runway aircraft are lined up with -- especially at night.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 LNDG SFO AND COMPUTER TAGGED FOR RWY 28L WAS NOT NOTICED BY LCL CTLR UNTIL SHORT FINAL THAT THE FLT WAS LINED UP ON RWY 28R. A CITATION JET WAS MIDFIELD, DEPARTING RWY 28R AT TIME.

Narrative: SOMEWHAT LIGHT NON-DEMANDING ARRS FOR RWYS 28R AND 28L DURING THE 45 MINS I WAS ON POS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. MOST ARRS WERE 4-6 MI IN TRAIL OF THE PREVIOUS ARR WITH AN OCCASIONAL PAIR (ONE FOR THE L AND R). ACFT WERE CHKING IN ON 1 OF 3 APCH CLRNCS ILS RWY 28R VISUAL RWY 28L OR VISUAL RWY 28R. LIGHT NON-DEMANDING DEPS, ADVERTISED DEPARTING RWYS 1L AND 1R WITH OCCASIONAL REQUESTS FOR DEP OFF RWY 28R AND 28L. B733 INBOUND, ALL INDICATIONS WERE THEY WERE ON A VISUAL FOR RWY 28L (DATA TAG). AFTER LISTENING TO THE TAPES, ACFT DID NOT CHK IN UNTIL SHORT FINAL, SO THERE WERE NO VERBAL CLUES. C56X REQUESTED DEP FROM RWY 28R AT INTXN E. SEEING TFC 2 MI FINAL FOR RWY 28L, I CLRED THE CITATION FOR TKOF. AT WHICH POINT THE B733 PLT ADVISED 'WE ARE VERY SHORT FINAL FOR RWY 28R.' AS NOTED ABOVE, THIS WAS THE FIRST XMISSION HEARD FROM THIS ACFT. I INSTRUCTED THEM TO GO AROUND. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, I DID NOT REMEMBER NOT TALKING TO THE B733 PRIOR TO SENDING THEM AROUND. NOTE: DUE TO THE CLOSE PROX OF THE 2 RWYS (750 FT CTRLINE-TO-CTRLINE) IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SEE WHICH RWY ACFT ARE LINED UP WITH -- ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT.

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.