Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met; Deviation - Altitude Overshoot; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Wake Vortex Encounter
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Took Evasive Action
Airspace Structure; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
[We were] cleared FMS Bridge Visual into San Francisco; Runway 28R. Approximately 7;000 FT began experiencing significant wake turbulence such that I disconnected autopilot and offset right of course and began slowing to achieve greater separation from preceding aircraft. To complicate matters we were assigned 250 KTS which is problematic and has a tendency to lead to an unstable approach. So rather than being high and fast I offset and reduced airspeed and tried to drop down to get out of the wake. Unfortunately I went below the 6;000 FT altitude restriction. We advised ATC that we were experiencing wake turbulence and that we were slowing and offsetting. The Controller sounded very skeptical stating that the other aircraft was an Airbus 319. We reiterated and he assigned us the offset and 180 KTS to the marker.
[Narrative 2 had no additional information.]
B737 flight crew experienced wake turbulence on arrival to SFO following an A319. They took evasive action and missed a crossing restriction as a result.