Narrative:

We were inbound to lax from sfo. Upon initial contact with lax approach control, we were given instructions to depart smo VOR on a heading of 070 degrees and to expect what sounded like a 'straight in' visibility approach to runway 24R. Passing abeam of the airport approach controller asked if we had the airport in sight. We responded that we did. Shortly thereafter, we were cleared for a stadium visibility procedure; we had to find the correct procedure in our manuals. This caused confusion in the cockpit. To add to the confusion, the visibility chkpoints shown on the approach procedure (oil wells, coliseum) were not visible due to the dusk conditions. Not being from the lax area, we were not able to locate the harbor freeway due to lighting conditions and the maze of roadways in the arsa. As a result, we flew well past the harbor freeway before starting the turn to base leg. In the general confusion of the moment caused by lack of planning and unfamiliarity, the turn to final overshot the final approach course for both 24R and 24L. There was another aircraft on final for 24L. We corrected back to the final approach course for 24R at about the same time that approach control noticed our overshoot. The remainder of the flight was uneventful. Suggestions: 1) the ATIS information should refer to visibility procedures by name, not just the runway in use. This would help crews in planning for the approach. 2) change the name of the lax procedure to 'coliseum visibility' because 'stadium visibility' can be confused with 'straight in' under the right conditions. 3) give crews a DME mileage off of smo VOR for turning base leg in case they are unfamiliar with local landmarks or if lighting conditions make it difficult to see landmarks used for turning base leg.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ATTEMPTING TO FOLLOW VISUAL STADIUM APCH TO LAX OVERSHOT RWY ALIGNMENT. CORRECTED AND LANDED.

Narrative: WE WERE INBND TO LAX FROM SFO. UPON INITIAL CONTACT WITH LAX APCH CTL, WE WERE GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO DEPART SMO VOR ON A HDG OF 070 DEGS AND TO EXPECT WHAT SOUNDED LIKE A 'STRAIGHT IN' VIS APCH TO RWY 24R. PASSING ABEAM OF THE ARPT APCH CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE RESPONDED THAT WE DID. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, WE WERE CLRED FOR A STADIUM VIS PROC; WE HAD TO FIND THE CORRECT PROC IN OUR MANUALS. THIS CAUSED CONFUSION IN THE COCKPIT. TO ADD TO THE CONFUSION, THE VIS CHKPOINTS SHOWN ON THE APCH PROC (OIL WELLS, COLISEUM) WERE NOT VISIBLE DUE TO THE DUSK CONDITIONS. NOT BEING FROM THE LAX AREA, WE WERE NOT ABLE TO LOCATE THE HARBOR FREEWAY DUE TO LIGHTING CONDITIONS AND THE MAZE OF ROADWAYS IN THE ARSA. AS A RESULT, WE FLEW WELL PAST THE HARBOR FREEWAY BEFORE STARTING THE TURN TO BASE LEG. IN THE GENERAL CONFUSION OF THE MOMENT CAUSED BY LACK OF PLANNING AND UNFAMILIARITY, THE TURN TO FINAL OVERSHOT THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR BOTH 24R AND 24L. THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT ON FINAL FOR 24L. WE CORRECTED BACK TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR 24R AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME THAT APCH CTL NOTICED OUR OVERSHOOT. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. SUGGESTIONS: 1) THE ATIS INFO SHOULD REFER TO VIS PROCS BY NAME, NOT JUST THE RWY IN USE. THIS WOULD HELP CREWS IN PLANNING FOR THE APCH. 2) CHANGE THE NAME OF THE LAX PROC TO 'COLISEUM VIS' BECAUSE 'STADIUM VIS' CAN BE CONFUSED WITH 'STRAIGHT IN' UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. 3) GIVE CREWS A DME MILEAGE OFF OF SMO VOR FOR TURNING BASE LEG IN CASE THEY ARE UNFAMILIAR WITH LCL LANDMARKS OR IF LIGHTING CONDITIONS MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO SEE LANDMARKS USED FOR TURNING BASE LEG.

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.