An air carrier flight crew, making an early morning visual approach in an medium large transport to runway 6L at lax, overshot the turn to final approach and the ATCT local controller directs them to turn back to the north to avoid opposite direction traffic. The primary problems appear to be the captain calling the runway in sight when it was not and the runway lights at too low a setting, and apparently not using the available ILS course indications.

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Attributes
ACN	378050
Time
Date	199708
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iuwu airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 3500
ASRS Report	378050
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
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

Narrative:

Left base for lax runway 6L. Captain called the field in sight with first officer flying. Captain did not have the runway in sight, just the complex. Lights on the runway were turned down low and not visible until close in. While turning to final, first officer overshot and was directed to turn back north by tower. Lax was conducting takeoffs on runway 25R (opposite direction on south complex). Captain stated he thought we were going to the south complex. A B737 had just taken off, but was not a factor, no TCASII, etc. Factors: captain called runway in sight although he did not have it and did not consult with the PF. Lax runway lights were down low making it difficult to pick up the runways. With opposite direction takeoffs in progress, visual approachs should be minimized or not allowed at all.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC, MAKING AN EARLY MORNING VISUAL APCH IN AN MLG TO RWY 6L AT LAX, OVERSHOT THE TURN TO FINAL APCH AND THE ATCT LCL CTLR DIRECTS THEM TO TURN BACK TO THE N TO AVOID OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC. THE PRIMARY PROBS APPEAR TO BE THE CAPT CALLING THE RWY IN SIGHT WHEN IT WAS NOT AND THE RWY LIGHTS AT TOO LOW A SETTING, AND APPARENTLY NOT USING THE AVAILABLE ILS COURSE INDICATIONS.

Narrative: L BASE FOR LAX RWY 6L. CAPT CALLED THE FIELD IN SIGHT WITH FO FLYING. CAPT DID NOT HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT, JUST THE COMPLEX. LIGHTS ON THE RWY WERE TURNED DOWN LOW AND NOT VISIBLE UNTIL CLOSE IN. WHILE TURNING TO FINAL, FO OVERSHOT AND WAS DIRECTED TO TURN BACK N BY TWR. LAX WAS CONDUCTING TKOFS ON RWY 25R (OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON S COMPLEX). CAPT STATED HE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO THE S COMPLEX. A B737 HAD JUST TAKEN OFF, BUT WAS NOT A FACTOR, NO TCASII, ETC. FACTORS: CAPT CALLED RWY IN SIGHT ALTHOUGH HE DID NOT HAVE IT AND DID NOT CONSULT WITH THE PF. LAX RWY LIGHTS WERE DOWN LOW MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO PICK UP THE RWYS. WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION TKOFS IN PROGRESS, VISUAL APCHS SHOULD BE MINIMIZED OR NOT ALLOWED AT ALL.

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.