Confusion over runway assignment versus clearance issued by approach. Unable callback.

Attributes
ACN	113258
Time
Date	198906
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 350
ASRS Report	113258
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 500 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Error

Narrative:

We were cleared by lax approach control to proceed inbound on the civit profile to 25L. Clearance read back. We were then cleared by lax approach control for an ILS approach to 25L at fueler, to contact the tower at limma, clearance read back. Runway in sight 3 mi east of limma. Were on ILS centerline. We were lined up on 25R. I then side-stepped to 25L. Contacted lax tower at limma. Lax tower advised cleared to land 25R. Copilot told lax tower to reconfirm 25R. Lax tower advised 'affirmative 25R. Commuter aircraft is cleared to land on 25L.' looked to left to see commuter 500' above and approximately 500' to left and closing. Turned aircraft to align with 25R a bit close! Lax tower was apparently operating with visual rules as they were visual. Our approach was not visual and we were never advised by approach of a parallel operation to 25L or to expect 25R.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION OVER RWY ASSIGNMENT VERSUS CLRNC ISSUED BY APCH. UNABLE CALLBACK.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY LAX APCH CTL TO PROCEED INBND ON THE CIVIT PROFILE TO 25L. CLRNC READ BACK. WE WERE THEN CLRED BY LAX APCH CTL FOR AN ILS APCH TO 25L AT FUELER, TO CONTACT THE TWR AT LIMMA, CLRNC READ BACK. RWY IN SIGHT 3 MI E OF LIMMA. WERE ON ILS CENTERLINE. WE WERE LINED UP ON 25R. I THEN SIDE-STEPPED TO 25L. CONTACTED LAX TWR AT LIMMA. LAX TWR ADVISED CLRED TO LAND 25R. COPLT TOLD LAX TWR TO RECONFIRM 25R. LAX TWR ADVISED 'AFFIRMATIVE 25R. COMMUTER ACFT IS CLRED TO LAND ON 25L.' LOOKED TO LEFT TO SEE COMMUTER 500' ABOVE AND APPROX 500' TO LEFT AND CLOSING. TURNED ACFT TO ALIGN WITH 25R A BIT CLOSE! LAX TWR WAS APPARENTLY OPERATING WITH VISUAL RULES AS THEY WERE VISUAL. OUR APCH WAS NOT VISUAL AND WE WERE NEVER ADVISED BY APCH OF A PARALLEL OPERATION TO 25L OR TO EXPECT 25R.

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.