An air carrier captain complains about 'visual' approachs into lax smog.

Attributes
ACN	319580
Time
Date	199510
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 3000
ASRS Report	319580
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

ATIS gave 3 mi visibility with approachs to runways 24R/25R/left. We flew arrival and were given runway 24R by approach control. After smo, we were given a heading of approximately 070 degrees for right downwind leg and they asked us if we saw the airport (we never saw it at any time and never accepted a visual). They switched us to runway 25L and the first officer asked if they meant runway 25R ILS, sidestep to runway 25L. We were given a 180 degree heading and 5000 ft and then turned to a final approach heading. We overshot final by 1 1/2 mi (we were at 190 KTS) and were given a 270 degree heading to reintercept and a lower altitude. We told them we did not have the airport and a different controller came on and gave us a heading and altitude for a map. We were then vectored by for an ILS to runway 24R and broke out at 2.4 mi from the runway. We advised the tower that we picked up the runway at 2.5 mi so they wouldn't do this to someone else. The question is, how can they expect you to do a visual approach with less than 3 mi visibility, switch runways, etc?

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CAPT COMPLAINS ABOUT 'VISUAL' APCHS INTO LAX SMOG.

Narrative: ATIS GAVE 3 MI VISIBILITY WITH APCHS TO RWYS 24R/25R/L. WE FLEW ARR AND WERE GIVEN RWY 24R BY APCH CTL. AFTER SMO, WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF APPROX 070 DEGS FOR R DOWNWIND LEG AND THEY ASKED US IF WE SAW THE ARPT (WE NEVER SAW IT AT ANY TIME AND NEVER ACCEPTED A VISUAL). THEY SWITCHED US TO RWY 25L AND THE FO ASKED IF THEY MEANT RWY 25R ILS, SIDESTEP TO RWY 25L. WE WERE GIVEN A 180 DEG HDG AND 5000 FT AND THEN TURNED TO A FINAL APCH HDG. WE OVERSHOT FINAL BY 1 1/2 MI (WE WERE AT 190 KTS) AND WERE GIVEN A 270 DEG HDG TO REINTERCEPT AND A LOWER ALT. WE TOLD THEM WE DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT AND A DIFFERENT CTLR CAME ON AND GAVE US A HDG AND ALT FOR A MAP. WE WERE THEN VECTORED BY FOR AN ILS TO RWY 24R AND BROKE OUT AT 2.4 MI FROM THE RWY. WE ADVISED THE TWR THAT WE PICKED UP THE RWY AT 2.5 MI SO THEY WOULDN'T DO THIS TO SOMEONE ELSE. THE QUESTION IS, HOW CAN THEY EXPECT YOU TO DO A VISUAL APCH WITH LESS THAN 3 MI VISIBILITY, SWITCH RWYS, ETC?

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.