Date: 201501
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: NCT.TRACON, CA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Night
Aircraft: B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Final Approach
Airspace: Class B SFO
ATC / advisory: TRACON NCT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; First Officer
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Airborne Conflict; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Airport; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Flight was uneventful until contacting NORCAL; inbound from OSI. Initial assigned heading out of OSI was 050. At OSI; heading assignment was changed to current heading (approximately 058) with a descent from 10;000 to 8;000. ATC advised of traffic passing our relative position for 28R and instructed us to maintain visual. ATC then advised us of a following flight to 28R and instructed us to remain visual; with a 3rd traffic notice about a Cessna at 3;000 (not a factor to our flight-distractor). We were given clearance to 7;000; and later 4;000 with 28R traffic in sight; and turned to heading 310 to intercept 28L; maintain 180 KIAS; and cleared for the visual to 28L. As we approached the extended 28L centerline; the Captain cautioned me to avoid overshooting the 28L centerline. The autopilot was still engaged and appeared to be headed for a slight overshoot of the 28L centerline; so I turned the autopilot off and aggressively moved to ensure we didn't cross the localizer. We were still far above the glideslope and I dropped the landing gear to attempt to descend more rapidly while maintaining 180 KIAS; and later 170 KIAS assigned. The 2nd traffic pointed out by NORCAL for 28R was slightly ahead of us and well below us. I asked the Captain to assist me with watching the traffic; which he did. After passing the San Mateo Bridge; maintaining 170 KIAS was impossible if a safe landing was to be made; so I started slowing to our target speed of 145 KIAS. As we lost altitude and airspeed our proximity to the parallel traffic became MUCH closer; and I began to think that they were attempting to line up on our assigned runway (28L). I maintained a high glide path while maneuvering a bit further left of course; when at about 1200 AGL; we received a traffic TCAS alert; and the parallel aircraft made an aggressive correction to the right (away from us). At this point I felt the conflict was over and returned to 28L centerline and continued my descent to the glideslope. Configuration changes to landing were normal; and stabilized approach criteria were adhered to. After being cleared for the visual approach and assigned 170 KIAS; NORCAL made no further transmissions to us. As we were approaching touchdown the Captain noted we weren't on Tower frequency nor had we received landing clearance (both of us had been distracted avoiding the parallel traffic). He initiated the change to Tower frequency and asked if we were cleared to land as I was initiating the flare (I was completely unaware that we didn't have landing clearance). Initially I thought I heard Tower reply 'negative' and I started to push the power up for a go-around while I asked the Captain to confirm the landing clearance. The Captain clearly stated that we were cleared to land; so I reduced power; flared; and landed about 2000 feet from the approach end. Clearing the runway and taxi in was uneventful.


Second narrative: My FO was flying into SFO getting vectored for a visual approach to 28L. The approach controller pointed out traffic for 28R. These runways are very closely spaced and the plane for 28R is supposed to fly to the right of the centerline until about 500 feet up then slide over. In addition; the controller is supposed to space us staggered - one slightly ahead of the other. When I questioned the controller who was going to lead she said she was still figuring that out. She never did and brought us to the approach almost together. We were slightly behind (less than an airplane length). None of that was terrible until the other plane blew through his course and into ours. We scooted over some and waited for him to get back on course which he finally did. Things were closer than I liked but it would be OK. We were about 100 feet when I realized the approach controller never turned us over to the tower. We were about to land without a clearance! I switched over to the tower frequency and snuck in a '[call sign] cleared to land?'…'Affirmative!' So we landed.


Synopsis: B757 flight crew describes a night visual approach to Runway 28L and the conflict that develops with traffic landing runway 28R. The distraction results in the Tower not being contacted until in the flare.