Medium large transport on visual approach not told of traffic on parallel runway approach.

Attributes
ACN	116377
Time
Date	198907
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : ric
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 18500
ASRS Report	116377
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While on approach to lax from a downwind heading we were given traffic (an medium large transport) at our 2 O'clock position. We reported traffic in sight and were issued a visual approach to 25R. After rolling out on final the medium large transport was lost on the haze and the runway (looking into the sun at this point). We referenced the ILS which was set for 25L and maintained a course on the right side. Runway came into view. Also, another aircraft came into view about 3/4 mi ahead at our altitude going the same direction. I asked tower what the aircraft was doing and was informed he was on an approach to 25L. We turned a little right and shortly after he turned a little left, and normal apches were completed by both aircraft. It seems to me something should be done to ascertain visibility into the sun under hazy conditions. Also being appraised of the other aircraft would have alerted us to look for it, although it wasn't a near miss situation it was a surprise we could do without.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ON VISUAL APCH NOT TOLD OF TRAFFIC ON PARALLEL RWY APCH.

Narrative: WHILE ON APCH TO LAX FROM A DOWNWIND HDG WE WERE GIVEN TFC (AN MLG) AT OUR 2 O'CLOCK POSITION. WE REPORTED TFC IN SIGHT AND WERE ISSUED A VISUAL APCH TO 25R. AFTER ROLLING OUT ON FINAL THE MLG WAS LOST ON THE HAZE AND THE RWY (LOOKING INTO THE SUN AT THIS POINT). WE REFERENCED THE ILS WHICH WAS SET FOR 25L AND MAINTAINED A COURSE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. RWY CAME INTO VIEW. ALSO, ANOTHER ACFT CAME INTO VIEW ABOUT 3/4 MI AHEAD AT OUR ALT GOING THE SAME DIRECTION. I ASKED TWR WHAT THE ACFT WAS DOING AND WAS INFORMED HE WAS ON AN APCH TO 25L. WE TURNED A LITTLE RIGHT AND SHORTLY AFTER HE TURNED A LITTLE LEFT, AND NORMAL APCHES WERE COMPLETED BY BOTH ACFT. IT SEEMS TO ME SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE TO ASCERTAIN VISIBILITY INTO THE SUN UNDER HAZY CONDITIONS. ALSO BEING APPRAISED OF THE OTHER ACFT WOULD HAVE ALERTED US TO LOOK FOR IT, ALTHOUGH IT WASN'T A NEAR MISS SITUATION IT WAS A SURPRISE WE COULD DO WITHOUT.

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.