Air carrier medium large transport track heading deviation flying a harbor visual into lax.

Attributes
ACN	158800
Time
Date	199010
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 183 flight time total : 14600 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	158810
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ATIS WX partial obscuration 3 NM haze. Approach asked if we had the airport in sight over smo. We affirmed and were cleared for a harbor visibility to 25R. That approach required a smo 068 degree 9 NM turn to base. Due to our altitude at that time, about 4000', we still had the airport. ILS was tuned on both sides. As we descended the visibility became more restr. I monitored the INS, the first officer was visibility. As we went through the localizer about 20 degrees off heading, it was apparent that the visibility conditions no longer permitted us to see the airport. However, we were within 1 DOT of the G/south. We started to rejoin the localizer, and tower cleared us to land on 25L. They apparently thought our latitude displacement would prohibit us from lining up on 25R. I will repeat, I don't think ATC should offer or even consider utilizing a visibility approach when the reported visibility is less than the distance that the aircraft will be at when it rolls out on final. The harbor visibility, the stadium visibility, quite bridge, tipp toe, etc certainly do not lend themselves to be used at 3 mi visibility.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK HEADING DEVIATION FLYING A HARBOR VISUAL INTO LAX.

Narrative: ATIS WX PARTIAL OBSCURATION 3 NM HAZE. APCH ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT OVER SMO. WE AFFIRMED AND WERE CLRED FOR A HARBOR VIS TO 25R. THAT APCH REQUIRED A SMO 068 DEG 9 NM TURN TO BASE. DUE TO OUR ALT AT THAT TIME, ABOUT 4000', WE STILL HAD THE ARPT. ILS WAS TUNED ON BOTH SIDES. AS WE DSNDED THE VISIBILITY BECAME MORE RESTR. I MONITORED THE INS, THE F/O WAS VIS. AS WE WENT THROUGH THE LOC ABOUT 20 DEGS OFF HDG, IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE VIS CONDITIONS NO LONGER PERMITTED US TO SEE THE ARPT. HOWEVER, WE WERE WITHIN 1 DOT OF THE G/S. WE STARTED TO REJOIN THE LOC, AND TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON 25L. THEY APPARENTLY THOUGHT OUR LAT DISPLACEMENT WOULD PROHIBIT US FROM LINING UP ON 25R. I WILL REPEAT, I DON'T THINK ATC SHOULD OFFER OR EVEN CONSIDER UTILIZING A VIS APCH WHEN THE RPTED VISIBILITY IS LESS THAN THE DISTANCE THAT THE ACFT WILL BE AT WHEN IT ROLLS OUT ON FINAL. THE HARBOR VIS, THE STADIUM VIS, QUITE BRIDGE, TIPP TOE, ETC CERTAINLY DO NOT LEND THEMSELVES TO BE USED AT 3 MI VISIBILITY.

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.