Narrative:

We were on vectors, after crossing smo, for an approach to runway 24R at lax. While on a heading of 070 degrees, we were given traffic which was on a straight in approach to runway 24R and we had him in sight at the time and would be no factor for us. We were cleared for a stadium visibility approach to 24R behind that traffic. I turned southbound and saw the harbor freeway, as we were also descending and starting the flaps down. I picked up the airport in the haze and saw what I thought was 24R and left but really was 25R and left. I started a turn to angle in the final approach course. Just before we were switched to tower, we were given some traffic that the copilot was looking for. We switched to the tower and he stated that it appeared that we were south of course. At that same moment, we just could start making out the real 24L and 24R through the haze. I continued a right turn back to line up with 24R and landed uneventfully. Contributing factors/perceptions: had never done a stadium visibility before, only straight in on the ILS; haze obscured 24R and left while 25 right and were visible; I had 24R ILS tuned in, but was looking outside and didn't notice that we had gone through the localizer; and even a cockpit rider didn't notice us going through the localizer (a pilot).

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WRONG RWY APCH. FAILED TO FOLLOW THE CHARTED VISUAL TO RWYS 24L AND R.

Narrative: WE WERE ON VECTORS, AFTER XING SMO, FOR AN APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX. WHILE ON A HDG OF 070 DEGS, WE WERE GIVEN TFC WHICH WAS ON A STRAIGHT IN APCH TO RWY 24R AND WE HAD HIM IN SIGHT AT THE TIME AND WOULD BE NO FACTOR FOR US. WE WERE CLRED FOR A STADIUM VIS APCH TO 24R BEHIND THAT TFC. I TURNED SBND AND SAW THE HARBOR FREEWAY, AS WE WERE ALSO DSNDING AND STARTING THE FLAPS DOWN. I PICKED UP THE ARPT IN THE HAZE AND SAW WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 24R AND L BUT REALLY WAS 25R AND L. I STARTED A TURN TO ANGLE IN THE FINAL APCH COURSE. JUST BEFORE WE WERE SWITCHED TO TWR, WE WERE GIVEN SOME TFC THAT THE COPLT WAS LOOKING FOR. WE SWITCHED TO THE TWR AND HE STATED THAT IT APPEARED THAT WE WERE S OF COURSE. AT THAT SAME MOMENT, WE JUST COULD START MAKING OUT THE REAL 24L AND 24R THROUGH THE HAZE. I CONTINUED A RIGHT TURN BACK TO LINE UP WITH 24R AND LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS/PERCEPTIONS: HAD NEVER DONE A STADIUM VIS BEFORE, ONLY STRAIGHT IN ON THE ILS; HAZE OBSCURED 24R AND L WHILE 25 R AND WERE VISIBLE; I HAD 24R ILS TUNED IN, BUT WAS LOOKING OUTSIDE AND DIDN'T NOTICE THAT WE HAD GONE THROUGH THE LOC; AND EVEN A COCKPIT RIDER DIDN'T NOTICE US GOING THROUGH THE LOC (A PLT).

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.