Narrative:

Our normal route into lax is via the civet profile descent. On the night of may/thu/90, flight was given a reroute to dag, pdm, fil, lax. Prior to reaching pdm the route was changed from pdm to the pdm 251 degree/40 DME fix, then to fil-lax. Just prior to reaching fil we were given a speed and altitude restriction. We were at 20000'. Upon querying ATC about the location for the restriction, we were only then given the name of the arrival route we were expected to follow. It was then necessary to locate an arrival route chart. Then rushed to make the speed and altitude restrictions, we were flying an arrival which we had never flown before and were totally unfamiliar with. From smo we were given a 70 degree heading and shortly after passing smo we were cleared for a visual approach. While attempting to review the arrival route, to be able to comply with any published route restrictions, we passed north of the airport on the downwind leg. At the same time we were looking for an expressway which we were to turn base over. During this time I lost contact with the airport. Upon turning base, we saw the runway lights again. They appeared much brighter than the surrounding lights. ATC had asked us about turning our base and in the rush I did not realize I had mistook 25L for 24R. Consequently, I invaded 25L's airspace before realizing I was starting to line up with the wrong runway. Upon realizing the error, I immediately corrected in the direction of 24R. The lights for 24R blended more with the surrounding lights and were more difficult to see. Had we received the arrival route name in adequate time to properly review the route and restrictions, we would not have been distracted by having to refer to the arrival chart curing the final stages of the approach.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB TRACK HEADING DEVIATION FLYING A CHARTED VISUAL INTO LAX.

Narrative: OUR NORMAL ROUTE INTO LAX IS VIA THE CIVET PROFILE DSNT. ON THE NIGHT OF MAY/THU/90, FLT WAS GIVEN A REROUTE TO DAG, PDM, FIL, LAX. PRIOR TO REACHING PDM THE ROUTE WAS CHANGED FROM PDM TO THE PDM 251 DEG/40 DME FIX, THEN TO FIL-LAX. JUST PRIOR TO REACHING FIL WE WERE GIVEN A SPEED AND ALT RESTRICTION. WE WERE AT 20000'. UPON QUERYING ATC ABOUT THE LOCATION FOR THE RESTRICTION, WE WERE ONLY THEN GIVEN THE NAME OF THE ARR ROUTE WE WERE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW. IT WAS THEN NECESSARY TO LOCATE AN ARR ROUTE CHART. THEN RUSHED TO MAKE THE SPEED AND ALT RESTRICTIONS, WE WERE FLYING AN ARR WHICH WE HAD NEVER FLOWN BEFORE AND WERE TOTALLY UNFAMILIAR WITH. FROM SMO WE WERE GIVEN A 70 DEG HDG AND SHORTLY AFTER PASSING SMO WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO REVIEW THE ARR ROUTE, TO BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH ANY PUBLISHED ROUTE RESTRICTIONS, WE PASSED N OF THE ARPT ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. AT THE SAME TIME WE WERE LOOKING FOR AN EXPRESSWAY WHICH WE WERE TO TURN BASE OVER. DURING THIS TIME I LOST CONTACT WITH THE ARPT. UPON TURNING BASE, WE SAW THE RWY LIGHTS AGAIN. THEY APPEARED MUCH BRIGHTER THAN THE SURROUNDING LIGHTS. ATC HAD ASKED US ABOUT TURNING OUR BASE AND IN THE RUSH I DID NOT REALIZE I HAD MISTOOK 25L FOR 24R. CONSEQUENTLY, I INVADED 25L'S AIRSPACE BEFORE REALIZING I WAS STARTING TO LINE UP WITH THE WRONG RWY. UPON REALIZING THE ERROR, I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED IN THE DIRECTION OF 24R. THE LIGHTS FOR 24R BLENDED MORE WITH THE SURROUNDING LIGHTS AND WERE MORE DIFFICULT TO SEE. HAD WE RECEIVED THE ARR ROUTE NAME IN ADEQUATE TIME TO PROPERLY REVIEW THE ROUTE AND RESTRICTIONS, WE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED BY HAVING TO REFER TO THE ARR CHART CURING THE FINAL STAGES OF THE APCH.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.