Narrative:

Cleared visual approach runway 24R to follow a jetstream to the right runway and staggered with a B747 to runway 24L. Instructed to turn base leg to follow jetstream. We were high on the GS, first officer was flying and correcting, lining up base to final runway 24R. When instructed to contact tower I went heads down to change frequency and at same time lowering gear and pulling the final descent checklist. Upon looking outside we were lining up with runway 25R. First officer was instructed by me to turn right immediately and line up on runway 24R. Upon debrief first officer said he went heads down (thus 4 eyes in the cockpit). Situation was corrected without ATC intervention or questioning. Contributing factors were haze, traffic and high workload. However situation could have been avoided had both of us been outside the cockpit. Supplemental information from acn 399940: using FMC VOR/localizer mode to intercept localizer course for runway 24R. While configuring for approach, slowing down and trying to descend to glide path I overshot north complex and when I looked back outside I was attempting to line up on runway 25R, mistakenly thinking it was runway 24R. Task overload and incorrect spatial perception. I thought I was lining upon runway 24R and did not see north complex. Contributing factors: haze, traffic and high workload. Both heads down in cockpit for too long.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG OVERSHOT RWY 24R ON A VISUAL APCH AT LAX AND LINES UP WITH RWY 25R AT THE SOUTH COMPLEX. RPTRS CITE HAZE AND WORKLOAD AS FLC DISTR.

Narrative: CLRED VISUAL APCH RWY 24R TO FOLLOW A JETSTREAM TO THE RIGHT RWY AND STAGGERED WITH A B747 TO RWY 24L. INSTRUCTED TO TURN BASE LEG TO FOLLOW JETSTREAM. WE WERE HIGH ON THE GS, FO WAS FLYING AND CORRECTING, LINING UP BASE TO FINAL RWY 24R. WHEN INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT TWR I WENT HEADS DOWN TO CHANGE FREQ AND AT SAME TIME LOWERING GEAR AND PULLING THE FINAL DSCNT CHKLIST. UPON LOOKING OUTSIDE WE WERE LINING UP WITH RWY 25R. FO WAS INSTRUCTED BY ME TO TURN R IMMEDIATELY AND LINE UP ON RWY 24R. UPON DEBRIEF FO SAID HE WENT HEADS DOWN (THUS 4 EYES IN THE COCKPIT). SIT WAS CORRECTED WITHOUT ATC INTERVENTION OR QUESTIONING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE HAZE, TFC AND HIGH WORKLOAD. HOWEVER SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED HAD BOTH OF US BEEN OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 399940: USING FMC VOR/LOC MODE TO INTERCEPT LOC COURSE FOR RWY 24R. WHILE CONFIGURING FOR APCH, SLOWING DOWN AND TRYING TO DSND TO GLIDE PATH I OVERSHOT NORTH COMPLEX AND WHEN I LOOKED BACK OUTSIDE I WAS ATTEMPTING TO LINE UP ON RWY 25R, MISTAKENLY THINKING IT WAS RWY 24R. TASK OVERLOAD AND INCORRECT SPATIAL PERCEPTION. I THOUGHT I WAS LINING UPON RWY 24R AND DID NOT SEE NORTH COMPLEX. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: HAZE, TFC AND HIGH WORKLOAD. BOTH HEADS DOWN IN COCKPIT FOR TOO LONG.

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.