Narrative:

As we entered lax TCA from the north, approach cleared us to proceed with the stadium visibility runway 24R. While we were on a right downwind to 24R, approach asked if we had an air carrier widebody transport, which we were following, in sight. We answered that we did. Approach then cleared us to follow the air carrier widebody transport. After we turned onto a right base for runway 24R, approach changed our runway to 24L. I subsequently put the new runway into the FMC and the ILS frequency into the ILS radio. Approach then called out small commuter traffic which I acknowledged. I then asked the captain where the widebody transport was because I had lost him in the ground clutter after tuning the ILS radios. The captain pointed him out to me. A moment later, approximately 10 seconds, I noticed we were not initiating a turn to final for 24L and queried the captain. He made an immediate right turn and quickly corrected back to course for 24L. After establishing an intercept heading for 24L final, approach control called to ask if we had the traffic in sight which was on final approach for either 25L or 25R (I cannot remember which runway). We answered affirmatively and approach told us to continue and to change to tower frequency. After changing to tower, we were given a runway change to 24R and we landed west/O incident. I feel there were 2 main causes for the late turn to final. The first is the # of runway changes made by ATC, so close to the airport in a high traffic vol environment. The second was my putting the runway and ILS frequencys into the FMC and ILS radios respectively, in VFR conditions. Having my 'head inside the cockpit' during this phase of flight was unnecessary.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG EXPERIENCES TRACK DEVIATION DURING VISUAL APCH TO LAX.

Narrative: AS WE ENTERED LAX TCA FROM THE N, APCH CLRED US TO PROCEED WITH THE STADIUM VIS RWY 24R. WHILE WE WERE ON A RIGHT DOWNWIND TO 24R, APCH ASKED IF WE HAD AN ACR WDB, WHICH WE WERE FOLLOWING, IN SIGHT. WE ANSWERED THAT WE DID. APCH THEN CLRED US TO FOLLOW THE ACR WDB. AFTER WE TURNED ONTO A RIGHT BASE FOR RWY 24R, APCH CHANGED OUR RWY TO 24L. I SUBSEQUENTLY PUT THE NEW RWY INTO THE FMC AND THE ILS FREQ INTO THE ILS RADIO. APCH THEN CALLED OUT SMALL COMMUTER TFC WHICH I ACKNOWLEDGED. I THEN ASKED THE CAPT WHERE THE WDB WAS BECAUSE I HAD LOST HIM IN THE GND CLUTTER AFTER TUNING THE ILS RADIOS. THE CAPT POINTED HIM OUT TO ME. A MOMENT LATER, APPROX 10 SECS, I NOTICED WE WERE NOT INITIATING A TURN TO FINAL FOR 24L AND QUERIED THE CAPT. HE MADE AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT TURN AND QUICKLY CORRECTED BACK TO COURSE FOR 24L. AFTER ESTABLISHING AN INTERCEPT HDG FOR 24L FINAL, APCH CTL CALLED TO ASK IF WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT WHICH WAS ON FINAL APCH FOR EITHER 25L OR 25R (I CANNOT REMEMBER WHICH RWY). WE ANSWERED AFFIRMATIVELY AND APCH TOLD US TO CONTINUE AND TO CHANGE TO TWR FREQ. AFTER CHANGING TO TWR, WE WERE GIVEN A RWY CHANGE TO 24R AND WE LANDED W/O INCIDENT. I FEEL THERE WERE 2 MAIN CAUSES FOR THE LATE TURN TO FINAL. THE FIRST IS THE # OF RWY CHANGES MADE BY ATC, SO CLOSE TO THE ARPT IN A HIGH TFC VOL ENVIRONMENT. THE SECOND WAS MY PUTTING THE RWY AND ILS FREQS INTO THE FMC AND ILS RADIOS RESPECTIVELY, IN VFR CONDITIONS. HAVING MY 'HEAD INSIDE THE COCKPIT' DURING THIS PHASE OF FLT WAS UNNECESSARY.

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.