Narrative:

We departed smo VOR heading 070 degrees descending out of 7000 ft at 250 KTS. This positioned us on a high right downwind for the runways at lax. Over the radio we hear a air carrier flight report to ATC that they are experiencing electrical problems. We are abeam lax on a high right downwind. I am on the radio and in the right seat and can clearly see the airport. The PF in the left seat cannot. ATCT asks if I have the field in sight and I answer yes. We are immediately cleared for the visual runway 24R, and told to 'turn base as soon as possible.' our altitude is 5500 ft, speed 250 KTS and close to the field. This unusual approach clearance was issued to us so the air carrier could land as soon as possible. After turning base, the field was no longer in sight due to the setting sun through the haze shining directly into our eyes. We passed through the runway 24R final approach course. Upon rolling out and seeing an airplane on what we thought was the runway we were cleared to land on, we realized it was runway 25R and that we were cleared to change to runway 24R. Normal maneuvering was then used for landing on runway 24R. We shouldn't have accepted the visual approach under decreasing visibility and, once we did, we should have canceled it and taken a vector once we realized we couldn't see the field.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: VISUAL APCH AT LAX IN HAZE.

Narrative: WE DEPARTED SMO VOR HDG 070 DEGS DSNDING OUT OF 7000 FT AT 250 KTS. THIS POSITIONED US ON A HIGH R DOWNWIND FOR THE RWYS AT LAX. OVER THE RADIO WE HEAR A ACR FLT RPT TO ATC THAT THEY ARE EXPERIENCING ELECTRICAL PROBS. WE ARE ABEAM LAX ON A HIGH R DOWNWIND. I AM ON THE RADIO AND IN THE R SEAT AND CAN CLRLY SEE THE ARPT. THE PF IN THE L SEAT CANNOT. ATCT ASKS IF I HAVE THE FIELD IN SIGHT AND I ANSWER YES. WE ARE IMMEDIATELY CLRED FOR THE VISUAL RWY 24R, AND TOLD TO 'TURN BASE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.' OUR ALT IS 5500 FT, SPD 250 KTS AND CLOSE TO THE FIELD. THIS UNUSUAL APCH CLRNC WAS ISSUED TO US SO THE ACR COULD LAND AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. AFTER TURNING BASE, THE FIELD WAS NO LONGER IN SIGHT DUE TO THE SETTING SUN THROUGH THE HAZE SHINING DIRECTLY INTO OUR EYES. WE PASSED THROUGH THE RWY 24R FINAL APCH COURSE. UPON ROLLING OUT AND SEEING AN AIRPLANE ON WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE RWY WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON, WE REALIZED IT WAS RWY 25R AND THAT WE WERE CLRED TO CHANGE TO RWY 24R. NORMAL MANEUVERING WAS THEN USED FOR LNDG ON RWY 24R. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL APCH UNDER DECREASING VISIBILITY AND, ONCE WE DID, WE SHOULD HAVE CANCELED IT AND TAKEN A VECTOR ONCE WE REALIZED WE COULDN'T SEE THE FIELD.

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.