Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Airspace Structure; Chart Or Publication; Airport; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure; Human Factors
We were arriving from the North and were cleared for a Visual Approach to Runway 27 at San Diego Lindbergh International (KSAN). We executed a right hand traffic pattern and turned Final approximately seven miles from the runway threshold. We conducted the Visual Approach; backed up with the Localizer for Runway 27. The approach was stabilized; and the landing was normal. Several days after this flight; I had a general conversation with a colleague regarding inadvertent descents below the floor of Class B (violation of 14 CFR 91.131(a)(2)). I looked at our flight path for this flight using www.flightaware.com and believe that although we maintained altitude at or above published altitudes for the Localizer approach; I suspect we may have momentarily descended below the 4;800 MSL floor of Class B airspace while conducting the Visual Approach; specifically during the Right Downwind / Right Downwind to Right Base portions of the Visual Approach.A review of the KSAN class B airspace will show that a normal Right Downwind leg (North of the MZB 084 radial) must be flown at or above 4;800 MSL in order to remain above the floor of class B airspace. This is an unusually high altitude to fly a Downwind leg if planning to fly a normal Visual Approach. My understanding is that this is a known issue and the KSAN class B airspace is in the process of being re-designed in order to better accommodate normal right hand traffic pattern Visual Approaches to Runway 27 at KSAN.After looking at the flight paths of several flights arriving KSAN from the North; I believe inadvertent descents below the 4;800 MSL sector of the KSAN class B is a relatively common occurrence. I suggest either a Flight Operations Bulletin or otherwise a NOTE on the plate alerting flight crews to this issue; at least until the KSAN class B airspace re-design has been completed.
A First Officer expressed concern regarding SAN traffic pattern when flying a Visual Approach to Runway 27. The Downwind leg descends below the floor of the SAN Class B (4;800 feet MSL); where it abuts the MYF and SEE Class D associated quadrants; north of the MZB 084 Radial.