Commuter flight cleared for visual approach to lax 24L when approximately 20 miles out was unable to...

Attributes
ACN	108856
Time
Date	198904
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax artcc : zbw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2200 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	108856
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was first officer on commuter flight from fat to lax. We were told to expect the visibility approach to runway 24L, a runway west/O an ILS. ATIS reported 10 mi visibility, but visibility was actually closer to 5 mi in typical la basin haze. Lax approach told us to report an small transport aircraft X in sight while we were about 20 mi out on an extended right base. Neither the airport nor X were in sight for a minute or so. We continued on a vector for 24L. Then the captain and I both spotted the aircraft X, told approach and were told to follow the X (captain was flying this leg). ATC said we were cleared for a visibility to 24L, 'follow the X, he's for 24R.' the runway was still not in sight. We turned an approximately final, not knowing exactly where to line up, as the aircraft ahead was for a different runway. Then, as we were handed over to lax tower, we lost the X and still didn't have the airport in sight. As soon as we checked in, lax tower complained that we were lined up on the south (25L/right) runways, and to turn right immediately. We did, and within 30 seconds were told we had gone past 24L, 24R. Then finally, ATC resumed vectoring us, and within 30 seconds we had the runway in sight and landed west/O incident. Lax approach should not clear you for a visibility when you're following traffic for a different, parallel runway and the field isn't in sight, especially if the assigned runway does not have an ILS to back up the visibility!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLT CLEARED FOR VISUAL APCH TO LAX 24L WHEN APPROX 20 MILES OUT WAS UNABLE TO VISUALLY ACCOMPLISH AN APCH WITH VISIBILITY REPORTED 10 MILES IN HAZE.

Narrative: I WAS F/O ON COMMUTER FLT FROM FAT TO LAX. WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THE VIS APCH TO RWY 24L, A RWY W/O AN ILS. ATIS RPTED 10 MI VISIBILITY, BUT VISIBILITY WAS ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 5 MI IN TYPICAL LA BASIN HAZE. LAX APCH TOLD US TO RPT AN SMT ACFT X IN SIGHT WHILE WE WERE ABOUT 20 MI OUT ON AN EXTENDED RIGHT BASE. NEITHER THE ARPT NOR X WERE IN SIGHT FOR A MINUTE OR SO. WE CONTINUED ON A VECTOR FOR 24L. THEN THE CAPT AND I BOTH SPOTTED THE ACFT X, TOLD APCH AND WERE TOLD TO FOLLOW THE X (CAPT WAS FLYING THIS LEG). ATC SAID WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS TO 24L, 'FOLLOW THE X, HE'S FOR 24R.' THE RWY WAS STILL NOT IN SIGHT. WE TURNED AN APPROX FINAL, NOT KNOWING EXACTLY WHERE TO LINE UP, AS THE ACFT AHEAD WAS FOR A DIFFERENT RWY. THEN, AS WE WERE HANDED OVER TO LAX TWR, WE LOST THE X AND STILL DIDN'T HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT. AS SOON AS WE CHKED IN, LAX TWR COMPLAINED THAT WE WERE LINED UP ON THE S (25L/R) RWYS, AND TO TURN RIGHT IMMEDIATELY. WE DID, AND WITHIN 30 SECS WERE TOLD WE HAD GONE PAST 24L, 24R. THEN FINALLY, ATC RESUMED VECTORING US, AND WITHIN 30 SECS WE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT AND LANDED W/O INCIDENT. LAX APCH SHOULD NOT CLR YOU FOR A VIS WHEN YOU'RE FOLLOWING TFC FOR A DIFFERENT, PARALLEL RWY AND THE FIELD ISN'T IN SIGHT, ESPECIALLY IF THE ASSIGNED RWY DOES NOT HAVE AN ILS TO BACK UP THE VIS!

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.

Commuter flight cleared for visual approach to lax 24L when approximately 20 miles out was unable to visually accomplish an approach with visibility reported 10 miles in haze.