Narrative:

Vectored to final; aircraft failed to capture localizer and; in fact started a turn opposite to the direction of the final approach course. Copilot hand flew and I advised tower that we were correcting. Copilot flew through localizer (about 1/2 mi) and we broke out; visually idented the runway (about 1300 ft MSL) and landed uneventfully. The cause was misident of approach facility as well as hurried descent (request by ATC); and last min tight and fast 9250 KTS) base turn just a couple of mi outside of the OM. Correct localizer frequency was in stand-by position on both navs and localizer course was set 170 degrees to the correct course (previously used runway). We had briefed the approach at altitude; but had been interrupted by the senior flight attendant (due to a passenger issue); and then started the initial descent into lax. So even though we had properly briefed the ILS runway 24R; set the correct altitudes and speeds in the FMS; we had failed to put the current approach frequency in the active window of the navigation radio. Additionally we had failed to set the proper course in the course window; a fact that we did not catch due to several reasons: 1) both courses were set identically and; therefore; did not cause an amber course warning on either pilot's display units. 2) the active frequency selected was actually receiving the localizer for runway 24L at lax and not displaying. Additionally; due to the hurried descent and turn onto the localizer from approach control; we failed to verify everything. The problem was discovered just outside the marker and immediately corrected; but the first officer's decision to hand fly exacerbated the problem and we overshot the correction to the localizer. I was about to announce a missed approach when I got the ground in sight and then the runway in sight. The remainder of the approach was uneventful.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-800 HAS A TRACK HDG DEV DURING THE ILS RWY 24R APCH LAX.

Narrative: VECTORED TO FINAL; ACFT FAILED TO CAPTURE LOC AND; IN FACT STARTED A TURN OPPOSITE TO THE DIRECTION OF THE FINAL APCH COURSE. COPLT HAND FLEW AND I ADVISED TWR THAT WE WERE CORRECTING. COPLT FLEW THROUGH LOC (ABOUT 1/2 MI) AND WE BROKE OUT; VISUALLY IDENTED THE RWY (ABOUT 1300 FT MSL) AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE CAUSE WAS MISIDENT OF APCH FACILITY AS WELL AS HURRIED DSCNT (REQUEST BY ATC); AND LAST MIN TIGHT AND FAST 9250 KTS) BASE TURN JUST A COUPLE OF MI OUTSIDE OF THE OM. CORRECT LOC FREQ WAS IN STAND-BY POS ON BOTH NAVS AND LOC COURSE WAS SET 170 DEGS TO THE CORRECT COURSE (PREVIOUSLY USED RWY). WE HAD BRIEFED THE APCH AT ALT; BUT HAD BEEN INTERRUPTED BY THE SENIOR FLT ATTENDANT (DUE TO A PAX ISSUE); AND THEN STARTED THE INITIAL DSCNT INTO LAX. SO EVEN THOUGH WE HAD PROPERLY BRIEFED THE ILS RWY 24R; SET THE CORRECT ALTS AND SPDS IN THE FMS; WE HAD FAILED TO PUT THE CURRENT APCH FREQ IN THE ACTIVE WINDOW OF THE NAV RADIO. ADDITIONALLY WE HAD FAILED TO SET THE PROPER COURSE IN THE COURSE WINDOW; A FACT THAT WE DID NOT CATCH DUE TO SEVERAL REASONS: 1) BOTH COURSES WERE SET IDENTICALLY AND; THEREFORE; DID NOT CAUSE AN AMBER COURSE WARNING ON EITHER PLT'S DISPLAY UNITS. 2) THE ACTIVE FREQ SELECTED WAS ACTUALLY RECEIVING THE LOC FOR RWY 24L AT LAX AND NOT DISPLAYING. ADDITIONALLY; DUE TO THE HURRIED DSCNT AND TURN ONTO THE LOC FROM APCH CTL; WE FAILED TO VERIFY EVERYTHING. THE PROB WAS DISCOVERED JUST OUTSIDE THE MARKER AND IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED; BUT THE FO'S DECISION TO HAND FLY EXACERBATED THE PROB AND WE OVERSHOT THE CORRECTION TO THE LOC. I WAS ABOUT TO ANNOUNCE A MISSED APCH WHEN I GOT THE GND IN SIGHT AND THEN THE RWY IN SIGHT. THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL.

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.