Flight Crew Last 90 Days 106; Flight Crew Total 12485; Flight Crew Type 4687
ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Airport; Procedure; Human Factors
SFO was landing and departing on the 28s because of the strong westerly winds at the airport. As our aircraft was slowing down during the landing roll; SFO Tower instructed us to exit at Tango and hold short of 28L. I acknowledged the clearance and we complied. The Captain stopped the aircraft approximately 10-15 feet prior to the hold short line. Shortly thereafter; SFO Tower cleared us to cross Runway 28L and contact Ground. The Captain started to taxi when he applied the brakes heavily and simultaneously said; 'What the??' At that time; I saw an A330 on the landing roll on 28L exiting the runway at Delta. I can't recall if our aircraft actually crossed the hold short line or not; but the fact of the matter is we were given a clearance to cross the runway with another aircraft on that runway; and that's concern enough. Transmissions on the Tower frequency at the time were heavy and there was some blocked transmissions. I informed the Tower what had just occurred; and we were again given a clearance to cross Runway 28L and contact Ground. As we were actually crossing the runway; SFO Tower instructed an A320 on final to Runway 28L to go-around. I contacted SFO Ground on the other side of 28L for taxi instructions to the gate. Of course; the gate was occupied. SFO Ground cleared us to turn right on Bravo and contact company about a gate assignment. Prior to that; I asked Ground if Tower knew what had just happened to us. His response was quite disturbing to me. Ground basically was blowing it off as nothing. His transmissions included statements; 'It's really not a big deal'; the A330 was at 'taxi speed'; and 'Don't worry about it.' I replied that it wasn't that way from our seat. His response continued; 'Tower has a lot of aircraft'; 'Approach was packing several flights on final'; etc. I am really discouraged when a Controller doesn't take an actual (potential) runway incursion seriously. This is obviously still a great concern in this industry. The Captain told me that he could not get a good view of final prior to crossing the runway because of the angle of Tango to Runway 28L. The Captain said that when he started seeing the landing lights from the A330 flight lighting up the runway; he then looked and saw the jet on the landing roll. The Captain also mentioned that he thought he heard Tower instruct the A330 to turn off at Echo. I did not hear that clearance; but again; there was quite a bit of frequency congestion and transmissions being blocked during this time.
After what it seemed a longer than the usual holding time between active runways; mainly due to heavy volume of arriving traffic on both runways; the Tower Controller gave us further taxi clearance to cross Runway 28L. The First Officer acknowledged the taxi instructions. By the way; there was no mention to us on the part of the Tower Controller of any related traffic on Runway 28L. Soon after we received our taxi clearance; I turned on all of our external lights; released the parking brake handle and proceeded to slowly commenced our taxi towards Runway 28L. I would like to add that due to the acute angle where Taxiway Tango (T) intercepts Runway 28L there is a very limited view towards the left approach side of the runway. As we taxied only a few feet forward; prior to entering the runway; I was surprised to see an incoming heavy Airbus still rolling down Runway 28L! Immediately; I stopped the aircraft; just short of the runway; with enough separation from the Airbus to prevent an impending collision. The airliner passed in front of us and exited the runway left onto Taxiway Tango (T). The First Officer consequently inquired the Tower as to the conflicting taxi clearance. A different Controller re-cleared us to cross the runway. Afterward; we concluded that the most likely sequence of events was that the A330 apparently rolled past its expected exit point; didn't say anything about it; and the Tower Controller didn't catch it. Fortunately; we were taxing slowly enough as to be able to stop the aircraft in time. Additionally; the extended landing roll of the heavy airliner also necessitated the Tower Controller to issue a go-around clearance to a A320 that had been given prior clearance to land on Runway 28L. That could have been an added distraction to the Tower Controller. Aside from an additional gate delay issue; the rest of the taxing in to the gate was uneventful.
B757 flight crew holding short of Runway 28L at SFO reports a ground conflict with an A330 landing 28L.  The B757 crew is cleared to cross before the A330 arrives at the same taxiway.  An Airbus on final is issued a go-around.