On approach to lax flight was kept high and fast resulting in missed approach and go around.

Attributes
ACN	109879
Time
Date	198905
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : missed approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival : profile descent enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 400
ASRS Report	109879
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Upon arriving in lax from the north, we were given the profile descent runway 24/25. Near santa monica we were told to expect the harbor visibility to runway 25R. Instead of the harbor visibility we were given vectors at santa monica for a visibility approach to 25R. The approach controller kept us high and fast throughout the vectors. On base he cleared us for a visibility and told us to switch to tower (no specific frequency). While looking for the frequency and the captain looking for traffic, we overshot the final to 25R. Upon turning to the airport and talking to the tower we were too high, fast and out of alignment to land, so we executed a missed approach. The second controller brought us around and kept us high and fast also. Upon turning us final for an ILS to 25L, we had to 'slam dunk' the aircraft (slow and descend the airplane to final approach speed very, very quickly) to be able to land. After landing no further incident occurred. It seems arriving from the north to lax is always a very hurried and confusing visibility approach. They try and fit you in holes from the arriving aircraft from the east. They need to come up with a better system.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ON APCH TO LAX FLT WAS KEPT HIGH AND FAST RESULTING IN MISSED APCH AND GO AROUND.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING IN LAX FROM THE N, WE WERE GIVEN THE PROFILE DSCNT RWY 24/25. NEAR SANTA MONICA WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT THE HARBOR VIS TO RWY 25R. INSTEAD OF THE HARBOR VIS WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS AT SANTA MONICA FOR A VIS APCH TO 25R. THE APCH CTLR KEPT US HIGH AND FAST THROUGHOUT THE VECTORS. ON BASE HE CLRED US FOR A VIS AND TOLD US TO SWITCH TO TWR (NO SPECIFIC FREQ). WHILE LOOKING FOR THE FREQ AND THE CAPT LOOKING FOR TFC, WE OVERSHOT THE FINAL TO 25R. UPON TURNING TO THE ARPT AND TALKING TO THE TWR WE WERE TOO HIGH, FAST AND OUT OF ALIGNMENT TO LAND, SO WE EXECUTED A MISSED APCH. THE SECOND CTLR BROUGHT US AROUND AND KEPT US HIGH AND FAST ALSO. UPON TURNING US FINAL FOR AN ILS TO 25L, WE HAD TO 'SLAM DUNK' THE ACFT (SLOW AND DSND THE AIRPLANE TO FINAL APCH SPD VERY, VERY QUICKLY) TO BE ABLE TO LAND. AFTER LNDG NO FURTHER INCIDENT OCCURRED. IT SEEMS ARRIVING FROM THE N TO LAX IS ALWAYS A VERY HURRIED AND CONFUSING VIS APCH. THEY TRY AND FIT YOU IN HOLES FROM THE ARRIVING ACFT FROM THE E. THEY NEED TO COME UP WITH A BETTER SYS.

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.