Heading track deviation during night operation visual approach. Wrong runway approach.

Attributes
ACN	246102
Time
Date	199307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	246102
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course flight crew : became reoriented other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Flight was arriving from hnl in lax TCA. ATC vectored aircraft over santa monica at 7000 ft and 070 degrees for downwind to runway 24. Asked if we had field in sight. We replied affirmative and approach cleared us for a visual, maintain 3500 ft to base and 2000 ft to final. We switched to tower on final and they advised us we were lined up for runway 25 or south complex, did we see runway 24R. Replied affirmative and corrected landing normally. Apparently low clouds were obscuring runway 24 complex from our high close-in downwind line of sight with only the south complex runways 25L and 25R visible. As a result, turn to runway final was made based on visual to only runways in view. At lower altitude on final runway 24L and 24R became visible. The landing was normal with no conflict of any traffic. Approach, I believe, was trying to expedite our arrival, to slip us in before the next wave of profile dscnts arriving from the east without having to vector us onto an actual instrument approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV DURING NIGHT OP VISUAL APCH. WRONG RWY APCH.

Narrative: FLT WAS ARRIVING FROM HNL IN LAX TCA. ATC VECTORED ACFT OVER SANTA MONICA AT 7000 FT AND 070 DEGS FOR DOWNWIND TO RWY 24. ASKED IF WE HAD FIELD IN SIGHT. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL, MAINTAIN 3500 FT TO BASE AND 2000 FT TO FINAL. WE SWITCHED TO TWR ON FINAL AND THEY ADVISED US WE WERE LINED UP FOR RWY 25 OR S COMPLEX, DID WE SEE RWY 24R. REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND CORRECTED LNDG NORMALLY. APPARENTLY LOW CLOUDS WERE OBSCURING RWY 24 COMPLEX FROM OUR HIGH CLOSE-IN DOWNWIND LINE OF SIGHT WITH ONLY THE S COMPLEX RWYS 25L AND 25R VISIBLE. AS A RESULT, TURN TO RWY FINAL WAS MADE BASED ON VISUAL TO ONLY RWYS IN VIEW. AT LOWER ALT ON FINAL RWY 24L AND 24R BECAME VISIBLE. THE LNDG WAS NORMAL WITH NO CONFLICT OF ANY TFC. APCH, I BELIEVE, WAS TRYING TO EXPEDITE OUR ARR, TO SLIP US IN BEFORE THE NEXT WAVE OF PROFILE DSCNTS ARRIVING FROM THE E WITHOUT HAVING TO VECTOR US ONTO AN ACTUAL INST 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.