Narrative:

Arriving from ventura the controller issued 'cross santa monica at 5000, cleared visibility approach runway 24L, maintain visibility with large transport.' started a base turn as the controller then advised (for the first time) that we were #2 for our runway behind a heavy transport. Large transport was going to runway 24R. Our turn was stopped and downwind continued. We established spacing behind the heavy transport and had more than 5 mi sep from large transport who was turning final. The controller then instructed in this exact order, 'if you have not turned base, turn now and stay behind large transport.' we were slow and ready to turn and started the turn as he started to speak, which would take us about 2-3 mi in front of large transport to our runway. The first officer acknowledged the transmission and I immediately told the controller that we were in the turn and could not get behind large transport. The controller instrument took over and instructed me to continue the base turn immediately through final and roll out on a heading of 360 degrees. This occurred while most air carrier's (not us) were declining visibility approachs to slow down in sympathy to the company strike. I could see airplanes and the airport for 10 mi. I was instructed to call the approach controller after the flight. The controller instrument agreed that there had been misunderstandings and that better communications were necessary. One big factor is that lax controllers give too much information and demand too many complex maneuvers in too busy an environment. They use too many speed adjustments and request best rate of climb/descent on a routine basis. They thank you when you help them out of their hold, but stand ready to violate you the next minute when you try your best to follow their instructions but cannot.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR INADVERTENTLY ADVISED SMT TO TURN BASE LEG IN FRONT OF TRAFFIC HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW INSTEAD OF BEHIND. SMT MADE TURN TO REGAIN PROPER SEQUENCING.

Narrative: ARRIVING FROM VENTURA THE CTLR ISSUED 'CROSS SANTA MONICA AT 5000, CLRED VIS APCH RWY 24L, MAINTAIN VIS WITH LGT.' STARTED A BASE TURN AS THE CTLR THEN ADVISED (FOR THE FIRST TIME) THAT WE WERE #2 FOR OUR RWY BEHIND A HVT. LGT WAS GOING TO RWY 24R. OUR TURN WAS STOPPED AND DOWNWIND CONTINUED. WE ESTABLISHED SPACING BEHIND THE HVT AND HAD MORE THAN 5 MI SEP FROM LGT WHO WAS TURNING FINAL. THE CTLR THEN INSTRUCTED IN THIS EXACT ORDER, 'IF YOU HAVE NOT TURNED BASE, TURN NOW AND STAY BEHIND LGT.' WE WERE SLOW AND READY TO TURN AND STARTED THE TURN AS HE STARTED TO SPEAK, WHICH WOULD TAKE US ABOUT 2-3 MI IN FRONT OF LGT TO OUR RWY. THE F/O ACKNOWLEDGED THE XMISSION AND I IMMEDIATELY TOLD THE CTLR THAT WE WERE IN THE TURN AND COULD NOT GET BEHIND LGT. THE CTLR INSTR TOOK OVER AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CONTINUE THE BASE TURN IMMEDIATELY THROUGH FINAL AND ROLL OUT ON A HDG OF 360 DEGS. THIS OCCURRED WHILE MOST ACR'S (NOT US) WERE DECLINING VIS APCHS TO SLOW DOWN IN SYMPATHY TO THE COMPANY STRIKE. I COULD SEE AIRPLANES AND THE ARPT FOR 10 MI. I WAS INSTRUCTED TO CALL THE APCH CTLR AFTER THE FLT. THE CTLR INSTR AGREED THAT THERE HAD BEEN MISUNDERSTANDINGS AND THAT BETTER COMS WERE NECESSARY. ONE BIG FACTOR IS THAT LAX CTLRS GIVE TOO MUCH INFO AND DEMAND TOO MANY COMPLEX MANEUVERS IN TOO BUSY AN ENVIRONMENT. THEY USE TOO MANY SPD ADJUSTMENTS AND REQUEST BEST RATE OF CLB/DSCNT ON A ROUTINE BASIS. THEY THANK YOU WHEN YOU HELP THEM OUT OF THEIR HOLD, BUT STAND READY TO VIOLATE YOU THE NEXT MINUTE WHEN YOU TRY YOUR BEST TO FOLLOW THEIR INSTRUCTIONS BUT CANNOT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.