An atx small transport lined up on the wrong runway facing a hazy sunset at lax.

Attributes
ACN	245379
Time
Date	199306
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 500 msl bound upper : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax tower : hts
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 2600 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	245379
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Cleared to land runway 24R lax. ATIS called for 5 mi visibility, but with severe haze and flying wbound into setting sun visibility was severely limited. I lined up with right runway. Tower asked which runway I was lined up with. He stated I was lined up with runway 25R, on the south half of the airport. I turned right 90 degrees immediately. After 30 seconds, the north field came into view. I should have tuned in the localizer for runway 24R, which would have told me I had overshot while on right base. This was caused by the north complex being invisible due to restr visibility caused by severe haze and flying wbound into a setting sun. Fortunately, no aircraft were on final for runway 25R. That would have been disastrous.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ATX SMT LINED UP ON THE WRONG RWY FACING A HAZY SUNSET AT LAX.

Narrative: CLRED TO LAND RWY 24R LAX. ATIS CALLED FOR 5 MI VISIBILITY, BUT WITH SEVERE HAZE AND FLYING WBOUND INTO SETTING SUN VISIBILITY WAS SEVERELY LIMITED. I LINED UP WITH R RWY. TWR ASKED WHICH RWY I WAS LINED UP WITH. HE STATED I WAS LINED UP WITH RWY 25R, ON THE S HALF OF THE ARPT. I TURNED R 90 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. AFTER 30 SECONDS, THE N FIELD CAME INTO VIEW. I SHOULD HAVE TUNED IN THE LOC FOR RWY 24R, WHICH WOULD HAVE TOLD ME I HAD OVERSHOT WHILE ON R BASE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY THE N COMPLEX BEING INVISIBLE DUE TO RESTR VISIBILITY CAUSED BY SEVERE HAZE AND FLYING WBOUND INTO A SETTING SUN. FORTUNATELY, NO ACFT WERE ON FINAL FOR RWY 25R. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DISASTROUS.

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.