Narrative:

We had accomplished the big sur profile descent for runway 28 at sfo and were approaching menlo, the last point on the profile. Our altitude was approximately 6500' MSL and 250 KTS when the controller directed us to slow to 170 KTS. He then cleared us to cross menlo at or above 4000', cleared visual. The captain thought the clearance was menlo at or below 4000' and read back 'menlo at or below 4000'.' I commented I thought the clearance was 'at or above 4000'.' the controller was directing several other aircraft and we could not get a radio call in to clarify our clearance. Since we were approaching menlo and there was a doubt concerning whether the clearance was at or above or at or below 4000', the captain said to cross menlo at 4000'. I used the spoilers and gear to get down in a hurry to 4000' and made the crossing, but as a result could not slow down to 170 KTS as the controller had directed. Shortly after menlo the controller asked our airspeed, to which the captain responded, 'we are trying to slow down, we are at 235' (this was accurate). The controller then pointed out widebody transport traffic 3.5 mi ahead at our altitude turning on the final. We had the traffic in sight, but the controller gave us a heading behind the widebody transport away from the airport to achieve spacing behind the heavy. We turned back to the field after the spacing was achieved and completed the approach. We were both new to west coast flying and this particular tip toe visual approach which directs aircraft to cross menlo at or above 4000'. Remembering this might have cleared up our confusion and allowed us to slow as directed. Also, I was using the aircraft FMC which put us at 6000' at menlo. Being at 6000' well prior to menlo would have helped our approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG UNSURE OF CROSSING ALT AT MENLO INTERSECTION ON TIP TOE VISUAL APCH, AMDE ALT OK BUT WAS TOO FAST AND HAD SPEED DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE HAD ACCOMPLISHED THE BIG SUR PROFILE DESCENT FOR RWY 28 AT SFO AND WERE APCHING MENLO, THE LAST POINT ON THE PROFILE. OUR ALT WAS APPROX 6500' MSL AND 250 KTS WHEN THE CTLR DIRECTED US TO SLOW TO 170 KTS. HE THEN CLRED US TO CROSS MENLO AT OR ABOVE 4000', CLRED VISUAL. THE CAPT THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS MENLO AT OR BELOW 4000' AND READ BACK 'MENLO AT OR BELOW 4000'.' I COMMENTED I THOUGHT THE CLRNC WAS 'AT OR ABOVE 4000'.' THE CTLR WAS DIRECTING SEVERAL OTHER ACFT AND WE COULD NOT GET A RADIO CALL IN TO CLARIFY OUR CLRNC. SINCE WE WERE APCHING MENLO AND THERE WAS A DOUBT CONCERNING WHETHER THE CLRNC WAS AT OR ABOVE OR AT OR BELOW 4000', THE CAPT SAID TO CROSS MENLO AT 4000'. I USED THE SPOILERS AND GEAR TO GET DOWN IN A HURRY TO 4000' AND MADE THE XING, BUT AS A RESULT COULD NOT SLOW DOWN TO 170 KTS AS THE CTLR HAD DIRECTED. SHORTLY AFTER MENLO THE CTLR ASKED OUR AIRSPD, TO WHICH THE CAPT RESPONDED, 'WE ARE TRYING TO SLOW DOWN, WE ARE AT 235' (THIS WAS ACCURATE). THE CTLR THEN POINTED OUT WDB TFC 3.5 MI AHEAD AT OUR ALT TURNING ON THE FINAL. WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT, BUT THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG BEHIND THE WDB AWAY FROM THE ARPT TO ACHIEVE SPACING BEHIND THE HVY. WE TURNED BACK TO THE FIELD AFTER THE SPACING WAS ACHIEVED AND COMPLETED THE APCH. WE WERE BOTH NEW TO WEST COAST FLYING AND THIS PARTICULAR TIP TOE VISUAL APCH WHICH DIRECTS ACFT TO CROSS MENLO AT OR ABOVE 4000'. REMEMBERING THIS MIGHT HAVE CLRED UP OUR CONFUSION AND ALLOWED US TO SLOW AS DIRECTED. ALSO, I WAS USING THE ACFT FMC WHICH PUT US AT 6000' AT MENLO. BEING AT 6000' WELL PRIOR TO MENLO WOULD HAVE HELPED OUR APCH.

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.