Narrative:

En route from san to lax flight was cleared to cross sli at 7000' MSL. Lax approach (124.5) called jet traffic above us at 8000' MSL, in our 2 O'clock position. After we made contact with traffic, that traffic was cleared for a visibility 25R and we were cleared to 6000' MSL to remain above that 25R traffic. Cleared on a heading for a left base to runway 24L. Additional traffic was called at 11 O'clock off of smo to land 24R. We were unable to gain contact. Approach then gave us a 280 degree heading and asked again if we had smo traffic (that traffic was below us, in the lights of the city, and was difficult to spot). We called that traffic in sight and approach cleared us for a visibility approach to 24L and directed us to switch to tower. He told us to maintain speed (190 KTS) and that we could catch up to, but not pass the 24R traffic. Captain began an s-turn toward left to lose altitude (8-10 NM from airport, just out of 6000'). First officer looked at chart to get tower frequency. Before we changed to tower frequency approach called additional traffic off to our left side and below. Captain saw traffic ahead and below and believed it to be traffic to catch up to but not pass. Simultaneously approach asked if we were turning back toward runway 24L and first officer mentioned to captain that 24L and 24R were on the north side of lax. We acknowledged the call and approach told us not to descend below 2800' MSL until lined up with runway 24L final. I feel that multiple traffic calls (especially having 2 aircraft to locate below our altitude, amidst the city lights of left.a.) delayed our visibility approach clearance and caused us to maintain a higher than desirable altitude on final. We were conducting a visibility approach to a runway with no workable ILS or localizer or other NAVAID assistance (the localizer for 24L was OTS). Also, as this crew is east coast based, our body was east coast time, and at the end of a 10-hour duty day. I feel that fatigue was a factor in reaction time for traffic identify.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG STARTED TO FOLLOW WRONG TRAFFIC TO THE WRONG RWY AT LAX. APCH CTLR INTERVENED AND THE FLT REGAINED CORRECT SPATIAL ORIENTATION.

Narrative: ENRTE FROM SAN TO LAX FLT WAS CLRED TO CROSS SLI AT 7000' MSL. LAX APCH (124.5) CALLED JET TFC ABOVE US AT 8000' MSL, IN OUR 2 O'CLOCK POS. AFTER WE MADE CONTACT WITH TFC, THAT TFC WAS CLRED FOR A VIS 25R AND WE WERE CLRED TO 6000' MSL TO REMAIN ABOVE THAT 25R TFC. CLRED ON A HDG FOR A LEFT BASE TO RWY 24L. ADDITIONAL TFC WAS CALLED AT 11 O'CLOCK OFF OF SMO TO LAND 24R. WE WERE UNABLE TO GAIN CONTACT. APCH THEN GAVE US A 280 DEG HDG AND ASKED AGAIN IF WE HAD SMO TFC (THAT TFC WAS BELOW US, IN THE LIGHTS OF THE CITY, AND WAS DIFFICULT TO SPOT). WE CALLED THAT TFC IN SIGHT AND APCH CLRED US FOR A VIS APCH TO 24L AND DIRECTED US TO SWITCH TO TWR. HE TOLD US TO MAINTAIN SPD (190 KTS) AND THAT WE COULD CATCH UP TO, BUT NOT PASS THE 24R TFC. CAPT BEGAN AN S-TURN TOWARD LEFT TO LOSE ALT (8-10 NM FROM ARPT, JUST OUT OF 6000'). F/O LOOKED AT CHART TO GET TWR FREQ. BEFORE WE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ APCH CALLED ADDITIONAL TFC OFF TO OUR LEFT SIDE AND BELOW. CAPT SAW TFC AHEAD AND BELOW AND BELIEVED IT TO BE TFC TO CATCH UP TO BUT NOT PASS. SIMULTANEOUSLY APCH ASKED IF WE WERE TURNING BACK TOWARD RWY 24L AND F/O MENTIONED TO CAPT THAT 24L AND 24R WERE ON THE N SIDE OF LAX. WE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CALL AND APCH TOLD US NOT TO DSND BELOW 2800' MSL UNTIL LINED UP WITH RWY 24L FINAL. I FEEL THAT MULTIPLE TFC CALLS (ESPECIALLY HAVING 2 ACFT TO LOCATE BELOW OUR ALT, AMIDST THE CITY LIGHTS OF L.A.) DELAYED OUR VIS APCH CLRNC AND CAUSED US TO MAINTAIN A HIGHER THAN DESIRABLE ALT ON FINAL. WE WERE CONDUCTING A VIS APCH TO A RWY WITH NO WORKABLE ILS OR LOC OR OTHER NAVAID ASSISTANCE (THE LOC FOR 24L WAS OTS). ALSO, AS THIS CREW IS E COAST BASED, OUR BODY WAS E COAST TIME, AND AT THE END OF A 10-HR DUTY DAY. I FEEL THAT FATIGUE WAS A FACTOR IN REACTION TIME FOR TFC IDENT.

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.