Narrative:

I was IFR to lax and was given a 180 degree vector just south of burbank by burbank approach. I queried center since normal vector is 140 degrees and was assured 180 degrees was what she wanted. I was told to switch to lax approach and approach told me to follow an large transport which was heading about 060 degrees (180 degrees was directly to the airport, lax). I questioned the instruction, since I'd never be able to truly follow because of the speed difference. A senior controller came on and told me to basically half follow the large transport, keep him in sight, and cleared me for the visual for runway 24R. I was now reasonably close to the airport, heading away from it but turning back towards it, and high (over 3000 ft). I configured the plane for landing and looked back out and continued following what I thought was the large transport. As I got nearer to the airport, I suddenly realized I was following an large transport towards the lax 25 complex and had flown across the runway 24R and left approachs. As I turned back north towards the 24's, the approach controller informed me I had flown through the final approach course and asked if I had the airport in sight. I replied I did and flew the approach and landed without incident. At the time I noticed my mistake, I was about 2000 ft AGL and 2-3 mi from airport. I'm frankly not sure what could be done to avoid this in the future. I was attentive, had had the 24 complex in sight but lost it when turned by ATC, simply followed the wrong large transport. I had the localizer set in, but with the maneuvering, I did not check it. I suppose spending some time with my head in the cockpit would have helped. I also think the ATC vectors were not particularly helpful and there was some confusion with lax approach. The bottom line is to just be even more attentive, and instead of just following the large transport, I should have also looked at the runway 24 complex.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA VECTORED TO APCH BEHIND LGT OVERFLIES LOC COURSE TO WRONG RWYS.

Narrative: I WAS IFR TO LAX AND WAS GIVEN A 180 DEG VECTOR JUST S OF BURBANK BY BURBANK APCH. I QUERIED CTR SINCE NORMAL VECTOR IS 140 DEGS AND WAS ASSURED 180 DEGS WAS WHAT SHE WANTED. I WAS TOLD TO SWITCH TO LAX APCH AND APCH TOLD ME TO FOLLOW AN LGT WHICH WAS HDG ABOUT 060 DEGS (180 DEGS WAS DIRECTLY TO THE ARPT, LAX). I QUESTIONED THE INSTRUCTION, SINCE I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO TRULY FOLLOW BECAUSE OF THE SPD DIFFERENCE. A SENIOR CTLR CAME ON AND TOLD ME TO BASICALLY HALF FOLLOW THE LGT, KEEP HIM IN SIGHT, AND CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL FOR RWY 24R. I WAS NOW REASONABLY CLOSE TO THE ARPT, HDG AWAY FROM IT BUT TURNING BACK TOWARDS IT, AND HIGH (OVER 3000 FT). I CONFIGURED THE PLANE FOR LNDG AND LOOKED BACK OUT AND CONTINUED FOLLOWING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE LGT. AS I GOT NEARER TO THE ARPT, I SUDDENLY REALIZED I WAS FOLLOWING AN LGT TOWARDS THE LAX 25 COMPLEX AND HAD FLOWN ACROSS THE RWY 24R AND L APCHS. AS I TURNED BACK N TOWARDS THE 24'S, THE APCH CTLR INFORMED ME I HAD FLOWN THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND ASKED IF I HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. I REPLIED I DID AND FLEW THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. AT THE TIME I NOTICED MY MISTAKE, I WAS ABOUT 2000 FT AGL AND 2-3 MI FROM ARPT. I'M FRANKLY NOT SURE WHAT COULD BE DONE TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE. I WAS ATTENTIVE, HAD HAD THE 24 COMPLEX IN SIGHT BUT LOST IT WHEN TURNED BY ATC, SIMPLY FOLLOWED THE WRONG LGT. I HAD THE LOC SET IN, BUT WITH THE MANEUVERING, I DID NOT CHK IT. I SUPPOSE SPENDING SOME TIME WITH MY HEAD IN THE COCKPIT WOULD HAVE HELPED. I ALSO THINK THE ATC VECTORS WERE NOT PARTICULARLY HELPFUL AND THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION WITH LAX APCH. THE BOTTOM LINE IS TO JUST BE EVEN MORE ATTENTIVE, AND INSTEAD OF JUST FOLLOWING THE LGT, I SHOULD HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT THE RWY 24 COMPLEX.

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.