Aircraft on approach to 24R at lax overshot on turn in and deviated from runway alignment.

Attributes
ACN	102418
Time
Date	198901
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 1500 agl bound upper : 15001
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 105
ASRS Report	102418
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During visual approach to lax from over smo VOR, cleared to turn base for 24R, and contact tower. While turning base and lowering final flaps, received slat disagree light. Tower frequency misset by one digit, and made wide turn to final while checking flap confign. Deviation was made toward south complex before tower was contacted and correction was made back to north complex to complete normal landing. Losing communication at this critical time makes me question the safety of a frequency change at base leg on a visual pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ON APCH TO 24R AT LAX OVERSHOT ON TURN IN AND DEVIATED FROM RWY ALIGNMENT.

Narrative: DURING VISUAL APCH TO LAX FROM OVER SMO VOR, CLRED TO TURN BASE FOR 24R, AND CONTACT TWR. WHILE TURNING BASE AND LOWERING FINAL FLAPS, RECEIVED SLAT DISAGREE LIGHT. TWR FREQ MISSET BY ONE DIGIT, AND MADE WIDE TURN TO FINAL WHILE CHECKING FLAP CONFIGN. DEVIATION WAS MADE TOWARD SOUTH COMPLEX BEFORE TWR WAS CONTACTED AND CORRECTION WAS MADE BACK TO NORTH COMPLEX TO COMPLETE NORMAL LNDG. LOSING COMMUNICATION AT THIS CRITICAL TIME MAKES ME QUESTION THE SAFETY OF A FREQ CHANGE AT BASE LEG ON A VISUAL PATTERN.

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.