ATC issued a landing clearance for runway 25R in error intending flight to land on runway 24L.

Attributes
ACN	111555
Time
Date	198905
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 550
ASRS Report	111555
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

While on the 24/25 profile into lax from the north, lax approach control gave us a heading of 080 degrees after the smo VOR and to expect a visibility to 24L. After the VOR, we steered 080 degrees and were given a descent to 5000' for our downwind leg. Approach then gave us a heading for our base and asked if we had the airport. We answered 'affirmative' and he cleared us for the visibility to 24L, and to contact the tower on 120.95. Upon checking in with the tower the controller cleared us to land on 25R so I extended our base leg to line up with 25R. After turning final for 25R, the tower informed us that we were lined up for the wrong complex and should be landing on 24L. He told us to turn to the right for 24L which we did and subsequently made our landing on that runway. I believe the event could have been avoided with better coordination between approach control and the tower. I'm not sure how the confusion arose between the approach controller and tower, but there was a breakdown in the handoff of our flight. Someone realized the problem and then informed us.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC ISSUED A LNDG CLRNC FOR RWY 25R IN ERROR INTENDING FLT TO LAND ON RWY 24L.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE 24/25 PROFILE INTO LAX FROM THE N, LAX APCH CTL GAVE US A HDG OF 080 DEGS AFTER THE SMO VOR AND TO EXPECT A VIS TO 24L. AFTER THE VOR, WE STEERED 080 DEGS AND WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 5000' FOR OUR DOWNWIND LEG. APCH THEN GAVE US A HDG FOR OUR BASE AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT. WE ANSWERED 'AFFIRMATIVE' AND HE CLRED US FOR THE VIS TO 24L, AND TO CONTACT THE TWR ON 120.95. UPON CHKING IN WITH THE TWR THE CTLR CLRED US TO LAND ON 25R SO I EXTENDED OUR BASE LEG TO LINE UP WITH 25R. AFTER TURNING FINAL FOR 25R, THE TWR INFORMED US THAT WE WERE LINED UP FOR THE WRONG COMPLEX AND SHOULD BE LNDG ON 24L. HE TOLD US TO TURN TO THE RIGHT FOR 24L WHICH WE DID AND SUBSEQUENTLY MADE OUR LNDG ON THAT RWY. I BELIEVE THE EVENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH BETTER COORD BTWN APCH CTL AND THE TWR. I'M NOT SURE HOW THE CONFUSION AROSE BTWN THE APCH CTLR AND TWR, BUT THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN THE HDOF OF OUR FLT. SOMEONE REALIZED THE PROB AND THEN INFORMED US.

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.