Narrative:

Normal approach flown being radar vectored and expecting a visibility approach to runway 25R at lax. In medium large transport X, the usual late afternoon sun position and haze somewhat obscuring the view, however WX conditions were VMC. We were on a base leg vector to the final approach course when the approach controller advised of traffic on final for 25L. The first officer (who was flying) called the traffic in sight. I then saw traffic in the distance and advised ATC. We were to not pass the traffic, cleared for visibility approach to 25R. From my seat position in the airplane, I could not see the airport. I asked the first officer if he still had the runway. At that time we were crossing the extended centerline of 25R. We both realized at that time that we had idented the wrong aircraft, turned immediately to final course, and in the turn crossed over the extended centerline for 25L. I finally saw the actual traffic below and in front of us about 200' ahead and 300-500' below. Normal approach and landing followed. Our misidenting the traffic was the obvious cause of this, however the congested and resultant hurried and hectic ATC environment at lax was a factor. The approach controller had positioned us on a direct course at another aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG MISIDENTIFIES TRAFFIC WHILE BEING VECTORED TO ILS 25R AT LAX. NMAC RESULTS.

Narrative: NORMAL APCH FLOWN BEING RADAR VECTORED AND EXPECTING A VIS APCH TO RWY 25R AT LAX. IN MLG X, THE USUAL LATE AFTERNOON SUN POS AND HAZE SOMEWHAT OBSCURING THE VIEW, HOWEVER WX CONDITIONS WERE VMC. WE WERE ON A BASE LEG VECTOR TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE WHEN THE APCH CTLR ADVISED OF TFC ON FINAL FOR 25L. THE F/O (WHO WAS FLYING) CALLED THE TFC IN SIGHT. I THEN SAW TFC IN THE DISTANCE AND ADVISED ATC. WE WERE TO NOT PASS THE TFC, CLRED FOR VIS APCH TO 25R. FROM MY SEAT POS IN THE AIRPLANE, I COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. I ASKED THE F/O IF HE STILL HAD THE RWY. AT THAT TIME WE WERE XING THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF 25R. WE BOTH REALIZED AT THAT TIME THAT WE HAD IDENTED THE WRONG ACFT, TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO FINAL COURSE, AND IN THE TURN CROSSED OVER THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE FOR 25L. I FINALLY SAW THE ACTUAL TFC BELOW AND IN FRONT OF US ABOUT 200' AHEAD AND 300-500' BELOW. NORMAL APCH AND LNDG FOLLOWED. OUR MISIDENTING THE TFC WAS THE OBVIOUS CAUSE OF THIS, HOWEVER THE CONGESTED AND RESULTANT HURRIED AND HECTIC ATC ENVIRONMENT AT LAX WAS A FACTOR. THE APCH CTLR HAD POSITIONED US ON A DIRECT COURSE AT ANOTHER ACFT.

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.