Approach controller continued to clear aircraft for a visual approach after being advised by the tow...

Attributes
ACN	163676
Time
Date	199011
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 166 flight time total : 16660 flight time type : 1677
ASRS Report	163676
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

While on the sadde four arrival to lax, we were cleared for runway 24/25 profile descent with 070 degree heading off smo. We were changed from the runway 24R to 24L (ILS inoperative) approach and given traffic at 2:00, a medium large transport. When we reported the aircraft in sight, we were cleared for a visibility behind medium large transport. When we turned base to final approach, neither the medium large transport nor the airport were in sight. Visibility was not conducive to visibility approachs. We were changed to tower frequency while trying to correct to the right for an approach to runway 24L. A quartering right tailwind caused an overshoot of the final to runway 24L (winds approximately 040 degree/34). When communication was established with tower we were approximately 1.5 NM from OM. The tower controller asked if we had visibility contact with the runway. We responded, 'negative.' tower then advised us to correct right for final approach and changed the runway back to runway 24R with a clearance for the ILS runway 24R approach. At that point I advised tower that conditions were not conducive for VFR approachs. The lax tower controller told us she had advised the approach control of the necessity for ILS approachs for the last 3 approachs to lax; but approach control was apparently reluctant to issue the ILS approach. Ground controller gave us the phone number to discuss our approach with approach control. We did so, but approach control had 'no comment.' the continued effort to 'rush events, stretch visibility conditions, and changing approachs, ie runway 24R to 24L' is not safe nor acceptable operation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR CONTINUED TO CLEAR ACFT FOR A VISUAL APCH AFTER BEING ADVISED BY THE TWR LCL CTLR THAT WX CONDITIONS ON FINAL APCH WAS NOT GOOD.

Narrative: WHILE ON THE SADDE FOUR ARR TO LAX, WE WERE CLRED FOR RWY 24/25 PROFILE DSNT WITH 070 DEG HDG OFF SMO. WE WERE CHANGED FROM THE RWY 24R TO 24L (ILS INOP) APCH AND GIVEN TFC AT 2:00, A MLG. WHEN WE RPTED THE ACFT IN SIGHT, WE WERE CLRED FOR A VIS BEHIND MLG. WHEN WE TURNED BASE TO FINAL APCH, NEITHER THE MLG NOR THE ARPT WERE IN SIGHT. VISIBILITY WAS NOT CONDUCIVE TO VIS APCHS. WE WERE CHANGED TO TWR FREQ WHILE TRYING TO CORRECT TO THE R FOR AN APCH TO RWY 24L. A QUARTERING R TAILWIND CAUSED AN OVERSHOOT OF THE FINAL TO RWY 24L (WINDS APPROX 040 DEG/34). WHEN COM WAS ESTABLISHED WITH TWR WE WERE APPROX 1.5 NM FROM OM. THE TWR CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD VIS CONTACT WITH THE RWY. WE RESPONDED, 'NEGATIVE.' TWR THEN ADVISED US TO CORRECT R FOR FINAL APCH AND CHANGED THE RWY BACK TO RWY 24R WITH A CLRNC FOR THE ILS RWY 24R APCH. AT THAT POINT I ADVISED TWR THAT CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR VFR APCHS. THE LAX TWR CTLR TOLD US SHE HAD ADVISED THE APCH CTL OF THE NECESSITY FOR ILS APCHS FOR THE LAST 3 APCHS TO LAX; BUT APCH CTL WAS APPARENTLY RELUCTANT TO ISSUE THE ILS APCH. GND CTLR GAVE US THE PHONE NUMBER TO DISCUSS OUR APCH WITH APCH CTL. WE DID SO, BUT APCH CTL HAD 'NO COMMENT.' THE CONTINUED EFFORT TO 'RUSH EVENTS, STRETCH VIS CONDITIONS, AND CHANGING APCHS, IE RWY 24R TO 24L' IS NOT SAFE NOR ACCEPTABLE OPERATION.

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.

Approach controller continued to clear aircraft for a visual approach after being advised by the tower local controller that WX conditions on final approach was not good.