An air carrier flight crew approaching lax in an medium large transport line up on the wrong runway. An alert ATCT local controller corrects their error.

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Attributes
ACN	379780
Time
Date	199708
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ioss 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	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
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 : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 202 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 253
ASRS Report	379780
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far 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 other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were cleared for a visual approach to runway 24R at lax. We mistook runway 25R for runway 24R and were proceeding toward final for runway 25R. Tower informed us we were south of course and asked if we were correcting. At that time we noticed our error and corrected over to runway 24R and landed uneventfully. Contributing factors: the WX. It was a beautiful day on a high downwind abeam the airport. Subconsciously setting us up as the visibility reduced during the descent with the sun and the haze combining to help obscure runways 24. Late completion of checklists. Normally our approach/descent checklist is complete at FL180. Just prior to FL180 our flight attendant informed us she needed some galley supplies. Instead of completing checklists I went to work (on ACARS) ordering galley supplies as ground time in lax was scheduled for a quick turn. This poor decision left me running the approach/descent checklist at a time when I should have been 'outside' monitoring the approach.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR FLC APCHING LAX IN AN MLG LINE UP ON THE WRONG RWY. AN ALERT ATCT LCL CTLR CORRECTS THEIR ERROR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX. WE MISTOOK RWY 25R FOR RWY 24R AND WERE PROCEEDING TOWARD FINAL FOR RWY 25R. TWR INFORMED US WE WERE S OF COURSE AND ASKED IF WE WERE CORRECTING. AT THAT TIME WE NOTICED OUR ERROR AND CORRECTED OVER TO RWY 24R AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: THE WX. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY ON A HIGH DOWNWIND ABEAM THE ARPT. SUBCONSCIOUSLY SETTING US UP AS THE VISIBILITY REDUCED DURING THE DSCNT WITH THE SUN AND THE HAZE COMBINING TO HELP OBSCURE RWYS 24. LATE COMPLETION OF CHKLISTS. NORMALLY OUR APCH/DSCNT CHKLIST IS COMPLETE AT FL180. JUST PRIOR TO FL180 OUR FLT ATTENDANT INFORMED US SHE NEEDED SOME GALLEY SUPPLIES. INSTEAD OF COMPLETING CHKLISTS I WENT TO WORK (ON ACARS) ORDERING GALLEY SUPPLIES AS GND TIME IN LAX WAS SCHEDULED FOR A QUICK TURN. THIS POOR DECISION LEFT ME RUNNING THE APCH/DSCNT CHKLIST AT A TIME WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'OUTSIDE' MONITORING THE 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.