Narrative:

25 mi out cleared ILS 25L approach. 18 mi out cleared ILS 25L sidestep and 180 KTS 25R. 15 mi out issued widebody transport traffic, no contact. Approximately 12 mi out reissued widebody transport traffic. First officer saw it and called it in sight. ATC then issued maintain visibility sep, cleared ILS 25L sidestep 25R. I located traffic after clearance, watched it stay motionless in the window for about 5 seconds. In my judgement, I would not have safe sep on the widebody transport or its wake turbulence on my present course. Turned 30 degrees to the north to go behind its path and slow descent and speed rate with flaps. The first officer didn't relay my actions to ATC and shortly thereafter ATC asked where we were going. I told him I was unable to maintain sep on the ILS and was maintaining sep visually (and had altered course). ATC gave me a heading to reintercept 25L ILS, chewed me out and said the widebody transport was 3 mi in front of us and there was traffic close to my right side. I turned to the 220 degree heading immediately. The first officer told ATC he had everybody in sight but didn't read back compliance with heading. The controller reprimanded us more at which time first officer confirmed heading, clearance, runway 25R and visibility sep. I lost sight of widebody transport on new heading, never saw the air carrier Q traffic and spent my time reestablishing a stable ILS 25L. Saw ground and runway at 3 mi or less. Contributing factors: ATC talked almost constantly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TURNED TOWARD WDB TRAFFIC TURNING IN FOR PARALLEL RWY. APCH CTLR SAW THE TURN AND VECTORED THE MLG BACKED TO LOCALIZER.

Narrative: 25 MI OUT CLRED ILS 25L APCH. 18 MI OUT CLRED ILS 25L SIDESTEP AND 180 KTS 25R. 15 MI OUT ISSUED WDB TFC, NO CONTACT. APPROX 12 MI OUT REISSUED WDB TFC. F/O SAW IT AND CALLED IT IN SIGHT. ATC THEN ISSUED MAINTAIN VIS SEP, CLRED ILS 25L SIDESTEP 25R. I LOCATED TFC AFTER CLRNC, WATCHED IT STAY MOTIONLESS IN THE WINDOW FOR ABOUT 5 SECS. IN MY JUDGEMENT, I WOULD NOT HAVE SAFE SEP ON THE WDB OR ITS WAKE TURB ON MY PRESENT COURSE. TURNED 30 DEGS TO THE N TO GO BEHIND ITS PATH AND SLOW DSNT AND SPD RATE WITH FLAPS. THE F/O DIDN'T RELAY MY ACTIONS TO ATC AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER ATC ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING. I TOLD HIM I WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SEP ON THE ILS AND WAS MAINTAINING SEP VISUALLY (AND HAD ALTERED COURSE). ATC GAVE ME A HDG TO REINTERCEPT 25L ILS, CHEWED ME OUT AND SAID THE WDB WAS 3 MI IN FRONT OF US AND THERE WAS TFC CLOSE TO MY RIGHT SIDE. I TURNED TO THE 220 DEG HDG IMMEDIATELY. THE F/O TOLD ATC HE HAD EVERYBODY IN SIGHT BUT DIDN'T READ BACK COMPLIANCE WITH HDG. THE CTLR REPRIMANDED US MORE AT WHICH TIME F/O CONFIRMED HDG, CLRNC, RWY 25R AND VIS SEP. I LOST SIGHT OF WDB ON NEW HDG, NEVER SAW THE ACR Q TFC AND SPENT MY TIME REESTABLISHING A STABLE ILS 25L. SAW GND AND RWY AT 3 MI OR LESS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ATC TALKED ALMOST CONSTANTLY.

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.