Narrative:

On approach to oak, on vectors to runway 11 at 2000 ft, 10 DME northeast of oak on a heading of 200 ft, norcal approach cleared us for a visual approach to runway 11, 'cross bridge mid-span at or below 1800 ft at 6 DME.' first officer was PF, commenced turn to cross mid-span and commenced slight descent to comply with the 'cross at or below 1800 ft' restr. Approaching mid-span, leveling at about 1700 ft to comply with the restr and intercept the ILS GS, norcal approach stated, 'low altitude alert, MVA in your area is 2000 ft.' the 'cross mid-span' clearance also placed us right of runway 11 centerline. We crossed the bridge, corrected to the centerline and continued with the visual approach, intercepting and flying the ILS GS. The terminology 'cross at or below 1800 ft' and clearance for the visual to runway 11 led us to naturally commence a descent to 1800 ft and below. How could we comply with the 'at or below 1800 ft' restr without commencing a descent? The direction to cross mid-span may have taken us too far to the right of centerline, vice just having us intercept and fly the runway 11 localizer.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLT CREW ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11 AT OAK EXPERIENCED CTLR ISSUED LOW ALT ALERT AFTER COMPLIANCE WITH ATC INSTRUCTIONS.

Narrative: ON APCH TO OAK, ON VECTORS TO RWY 11 AT 2000 FT, 10 DME NE OF OAK ON A HDG OF 200 FT, NORCAL APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 11, 'CROSS BRIDGE MID-SPAN AT OR BELOW 1800 FT AT 6 DME.' FO WAS PF, COMMENCED TURN TO CROSS MID-SPAN AND COMMENCED SLIGHT DSCNT TO COMPLY WITH THE 'CROSS AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' RESTR. APCHING MID-SPAN, LEVELING AT ABOUT 1700 FT TO COMPLY WITH THE RESTR AND INTERCEPT THE ILS GS, NORCAL APCH STATED, 'LOW ALT ALERT, MVA IN YOUR AREA IS 2000 FT.' THE 'CROSS MID-SPAN' CLRNC ALSO PLACED US R OF RWY 11 CTRLINE. WE CROSSED THE BRIDGE, CORRECTED TO THE CTRLINE AND CONTINUED WITH THE VISUAL APCH, INTERCEPTING AND FLYING THE ILS GS. THE TERMINOLOGY 'CROSS AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' AND CLRNC FOR THE VISUAL TO RWY 11 LED US TO NATURALLY COMMENCE A DSCNT TO 1800 FT AND BELOW. HOW COULD WE COMPLY WITH THE 'AT OR BELOW 1800 FT' RESTR WITHOUT COMMENCING A DSCNT? THE DIRECTION TO CROSS MID-SPAN MAY HAVE TAKEN US TOO FAR TO THE R OF CTRLINE, VICE JUST HAVING US INTERCEPT AND FLY THE RWY 11 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.