Narrative:

Upon arriving in lax approach control area, ATIS was received giving landing on 6L with winds at 230/13. This was due to civic unrest caused by the local trial verdict. Due to smoke, excessive helicopter traffic and possible firing at aircraft the easterly approach and landing was being used. After considering the factors (low gross weight, diverting to other airports that were receiving other diverting aircraft and unfamiliarity of the other airports) I decided to use my emergency authority to land with the possibility the tail wind would exceed the 10 KT limitation as we were landing. I felt this action was safer than flying at low altitude through the smoke and over the areas of disturbance. I asked the first officer if he felt comfortable with the approach and he said he did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG PIC USES HIS EMER AUTHORITY IN ORDER TO JUSTIFY HIS LNDG WITH A TAIL WIND IN EXCESS OF THAT ALLOWED BY HIS ACR OPS SPECS. LNDG PROC DOWNWIND LNDG.

Narrative: UPON ARRIVING IN LAX APCH CTL AREA, ATIS WAS RECEIVED GIVING LNDG ON 6L WITH WINDS AT 230/13. THIS WAS DUE TO CIVIC UNREST CAUSED BY THE LCL TRIAL VERDICT. DUE TO SMOKE, EXCESSIVE HELI TFC AND POSSIBLE FIRING AT ACFT THE EASTERLY APCH AND LNDG WAS BEING USED. AFTER CONSIDERING THE FACTORS (LOW GROSS WT, DIVERTING TO OTHER ARPTS THAT WERE RECEIVING OTHER DIVERTING ACFT AND UNFAMILIARITY OF THE OTHER ARPTS) I DECIDED TO USE MY EMER AUTHORITY TO LAND WITH THE POSSIBILITY THE TAIL WIND WOULD EXCEED THE 10 KT LIMITATION AS WE WERE LNDG. I FELT THIS ACTION WAS SAFER THAN FLYING AT LOW ALT THROUGH THE SMOKE AND OVER THE AREAS OF DISTURBANCE. I ASKED THE FO IF HE FELT COMFORTABLE WITH THE APCH AND HE SAID HE DID.

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.