Visual approach accepted in marginal WX conditions.

Attributes
ACN	88874
Time
Date	198806
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak tower : stl
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	88874
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : vfr in imc inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	horizontal : 5000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Vectored for ILS 28R sfo. Approaching marker approach told us to look for light transport at 11 O'clock 4 miles. Told approach we were IMC - caught sight of light transport as he was in left turn to final visibility for 28L same altitude EST 2-2 1/2 miles. We reported aircraft in sight and approach told us to maintain visual separation - we advised we could not maintain VMC - told it was ok light transport would keep visual on us continued approach in moderate rain. At 2-1 1/2 miles from runway broke out with aircraft at 11:30 approximately 1 mile. Complained to tower, tower said he was told light transport had visual with us. I replied it was hard to unless they had eyes in the tail. Landing was accomplished with windshear in flare from rainshower moving in from marker. (10 KTS). Combined visibility 28L instrument (ILS) 28R is ridiculous. Light transport aircraft obviously could not keep us in sight since he turned final ahead of us. Suspect light transport was IMC at times with VFR clearance. Placed in us mail 6 days after incident. No pickup till june 88. Graham rudman cutman cut back.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL APCH ACCEPTED IN MARGINAL WX CONDITIONS.

Narrative: VECTORED FOR ILS 28R SFO. APCHING MARKER APCH TOLD US TO LOOK FOR LTT AT 11 O'CLOCK 4 MILES. TOLD APCH WE WERE IMC - CAUGHT SIGHT OF LTT AS HE WAS IN LEFT TURN TO FINAL VIS FOR 28L SAME ALT EST 2-2 1/2 MILES. WE REPORTED ACFT IN SIGHT AND APCH TOLD US TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION - WE ADVISED WE COULD NOT MAINTAIN VMC - TOLD IT WAS OK LTT WOULD KEEP VISUAL ON US CONTINUED APCH IN MODERATE RAIN. AT 2-1 1/2 MILES FROM RWY BROKE OUT WITH ACFT AT 11:30 APPROX 1 MILE. COMPLAINED TO TWR, TWR SAID HE WAS TOLD LTT HAD VISUAL WITH US. I REPLIED IT WAS HARD TO UNLESS THEY HAD EYES IN THE TAIL. LNDG WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH WINDSHEAR IN FLARE FROM RAINSHOWER MOVING IN FROM MARKER. (10 KTS). COMBINED VIS 28L INST (ILS) 28R IS RIDICULOUS. LTT ACFT OBVIOUSLY COULD NOT KEEP US IN SIGHT SINCE HE TURNED FINAL AHEAD OF US. SUSPECT LTT WAS IMC AT TIMES WITH VFR CLRNC. PLACED IN US MAIL 6 DAYS AFTER INCIDENT. NO PICKUP TILL JUNE 88. GRAHAM RUDMAN CUTMAN CUT BACK.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.