Narrative:

After accepting a visibility approach to runway 30 at lgb with the runway in sight during the hours of darkness, coast approach handed off my airliner to lgb tower, then issued us a traffic advisory for an small aircraft as a possible conflict. (We were both going to the same airport) the small aircraft was off our right side and the airport was off our left side. It took a reasonable amount of time to locate the small aircraft, after which we contacted lgb tower. Neither the copilot nor myself could locate runway 30 in the mass of lights when we transferred our attention from the small aircraft to the runway. The G/south rapidly pegged full down so we requested a 360 degree turn from the tower to re-establish ourselves on the ILS. Tower approved the turn and coordinated our circle with coast approach, who kept the small aircraft, away from our flight path. We reacquired visibility with the small aircraft, and he was no factor during our circle. WX was clear and visibility 7 mi. This was an example of the ATC system working perfectly in a rapidly changing situation. It was surprisingly smooth. I have had 3 near misses at lgb which required evasive action, so I take traffic conflict advisories very seriously.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG LOST SIGHT OF ARPT AFTER ACCEPTING A VISUAL APCH TO LGA. COULD HAVE FOLLOWED LOCALIZER BUT WAS CONCERNED ABOUT TRAFFIC ADVISORY WITH TRAFFIC NOT SIGHTED.

Narrative: AFTER ACCEPTING A VIS APCH TO RWY 30 AT LGB WITH THE RWY IN SIGHT DURING THE HRS OF DARKNESS, COAST APCH HANDED OFF MY AIRLINER TO LGB TWR, THEN ISSUED US A TFC ADVISORY FOR AN SMA AS A POSSIBLE CONFLICT. (WE WERE BOTH GOING TO THE SAME ARPT) THE SMA WAS OFF OUR RIGHT SIDE AND THE ARPT WAS OFF OUR LEFT SIDE. IT TOOK A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO LOCATE THE SMA, AFTER WHICH WE CONTACTED LGB TWR. NEITHER THE COPLT NOR MYSELF COULD LOCATE RWY 30 IN THE MASS OF LIGHTS WHEN WE TRANSFERRED OUR ATTN FROM THE SMA TO THE RWY. THE G/S RAPIDLY PEGGED FULL DOWN SO WE REQUESTED A 360 DEG TURN FROM THE TWR TO RE-ESTABLISH OURSELVES ON THE ILS. TWR APPROVED THE TURN AND COORDINATED OUR CIRCLE WITH COAST APCH, WHO KEPT THE SMA, AWAY FROM OUR FLT PATH. WE REACQUIRED VIS WITH THE SMA, AND HE WAS NO FACTOR DURING OUR CIRCLE. WX WAS CLR AND VISIBILITY 7 MI. THIS WAS AN EXAMPLE OF THE ATC SYS WORKING PERFECTLY IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING SITUATION. IT WAS SURPRISINGLY SMOOTH. I HAVE HAD 3 NEAR MISSES AT LGB WHICH REQUIRED EVASIVE ACTION, SO I TAKE TFC CONFLICT ADVISORIES VERY SERIOUSLY.

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.