Narrative:

On the last portion of the sadde arrival; we were eastbound (070 degrees) from smo descending from 7000 ft to 2500 ft. Lax WX was reported as few clouds at 2700 ft and 6 mi visibility with haze. Tower reported traffic at 2 O'clock position. We called traffic in sight and were cleared to follow the traffic for a visual approach to runway 24R. I turned base leg when the traffic was almost abeam of us; I guess approximately an 8 mi base leg. We both had the ILS runway 24R set up. I initially had both the traffic and the runway in sight. I continued the descent while we were configuring for landing. Between xchking inside and looking outside; I lost sight of the runway but still had what I thought was our traffic. Tower called and said something to the effect of 'did we have the runway in sight?' suddenly I saw I was heading toward runway 25R and immediately corrected back to runway 24R. I had overshot both runway 24R and runway 24L and was approaching the south complex. I think I corrected back to about a 5 mi final to runway 24R and the remainder of the approach and landing were normal. I realize now that as we descended on the base leg the slant range visibility decreased due to the haze. I should have crosschecked the instruments more but was comfortable at the time because I continued to see what I thought was the traffic I was following. Somehow; between looking inside and outside; I must have xferred 'lock' onto a different aircraft; one landing on the south complex.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD80 FLT CREW HAS TRACK HDG DEV DURING APCH TO RWY 24R LAX.

Narrative: ON THE LAST PORTION OF THE SADDE ARR; WE WERE EBOUND (070 DEGS) FROM SMO DSNDING FROM 7000 FT TO 2500 FT. LAX WX WAS RPTED AS FEW CLOUDS AT 2700 FT AND 6 MI VISIBILITY WITH HAZE. TWR RPTED TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS. WE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT AND WERE CLRED TO FOLLOW THE TFC FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R. I TURNED BASE LEG WHEN THE TFC WAS ALMOST ABEAM OF US; I GUESS APPROX AN 8 MI BASE LEG. WE BOTH HAD THE ILS RWY 24R SET UP. I INITIALLY HAD BOTH THE TFC AND THE RWY IN SIGHT. I CONTINUED THE DSCNT WHILE WE WERE CONFIGURING FOR LNDG. BTWN XCHKING INSIDE AND LOOKING OUTSIDE; I LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY BUT STILL HAD WHAT I THOUGHT WAS OUR TFC. TWR CALLED AND SAID SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF 'DID WE HAVE THE RWY IN SIGHT?' SUDDENLY I SAW I WAS HEADING TOWARD RWY 25R AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED BACK TO RWY 24R. I HAD OVERSHOT BOTH RWY 24R AND RWY 24L AND WAS APCHING THE S COMPLEX. I THINK I CORRECTED BACK TO ABOUT A 5 MI FINAL TO RWY 24R AND THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. I REALIZE NOW THAT AS WE DSNDED ON THE BASE LEG THE SLANT RANGE VISIBILITY DECREASED DUE TO THE HAZE. I SHOULD HAVE XCHKED THE INSTS MORE BUT WAS COMFORTABLE AT THE TIME BECAUSE I CONTINUED TO SEE WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TFC I WAS FOLLOWING. SOMEHOW; BTWN LOOKING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE; I MUST HAVE XFERRED 'LOCK' ONTO A DIFFERENT ACFT; ONE LNDG ON THE S COMPLEX.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.