Narrative:

On downwind on the 24/25 profile descent, we reported the airport in sight (WX reported 1000 scattered 15 mi). Approach pointed out traffic we were to follow. There were numerous targets but we finally determined the correct aircraft. We were cleared a visual approach to 24L to follow the traffic. I understood him to be for 24R. I was concerned about our spacing and was intent on following him. As we turned final, the scattered clouds became thicker and I momentarily lost the airport. I still had our traffic in sight and then reacquired the runway (about 7 mi final). At this time tower said we appeared to be lined up on 25. I had the 24R localizer (108.5) and romen OM (278) tuned in and was displaced left of localizer. While intent on following our traffic while turning base (as well as watching numerous other targets visually and on TCASII), clouds blocked the center of the airport and the entire north runway complex. The most north runway I saw was 25R and that is where the traffic I was to follow was going. I turned back to intercept the 24R localizer and was about to go around when I reacquired 24L visually and made an uneventful landing. I'm very conscious of listening to all radio calls so I stay aware what other aircraft are doing. I use all available navaids even on visual approachs. Yet I misidented the runway of the traffic we were following. I also allowed TCASII and other visual traffic to distract me from maintaining visual on our runway and didn't monitor my navaids until on final. I would not have landed on the 25 complex (due to my ILS and controller) but I definitely intruded on the 25 final airspace. Next time I'm in a situation at night, marginal VFR, heavy traffic, intense pace of operations, I will ask for an ILS approach.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG WRONG RWY APCH. VISUAL TO LAX 24L AT NIGHT.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND ON THE 24/25 PROFILE DSCNT, WE RPTED THE ARPT IN SIGHT (WX RPTED 1000 SCATTERED 15 MI). APCH POINTED OUT TFC WE WERE TO FOLLOW. THERE WERE NUMEROUS TARGETS BUT WE FINALLY DETERMINED THE CORRECT ACFT. WE WERE CLRED A VISUAL APCH TO 24L TO FOLLOW THE TFC. I UNDERSTOOD HIM TO BE FOR 24R. I WAS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR SPACING AND WAS INTENT ON FOLLOWING HIM. AS WE TURNED FINAL, THE SCATTERED CLOUDS BECAME THICKER AND I MOMENTARILY LOST THE ARPT. I STILL HAD OUR TFC IN SIGHT AND THEN REACQUIRED THE RWY (ABOUT 7 MI FINAL). AT THIS TIME TWR SAID WE APPEARED TO BE LINED UP ON 25. I HAD THE 24R LOC (108.5) AND ROMEN OM (278) TUNED IN AND WAS DISPLACED L OF LOC. WHILE INTENT ON FOLLOWING OUR TFC WHILE TURNING BASE (AS WELL AS WATCHING NUMEROUS OTHER TARGETS VISUALLY AND ON TCASII), CLOUDS BLOCKED THE CENTER OF THE ARPT AND THE ENTIRE N RWY COMPLEX. THE MOST N RWY I SAW WAS 25R AND THAT IS WHERE THE TFC I WAS TO FOLLOW WAS GOING. I TURNED BACK TO INTERCEPT THE 24R LOC AND WAS ABOUT TO GAR WHEN I REACQUIRED 24L VISUALLY AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. I'M VERY CONSCIOUS OF LISTENING TO ALL RADIO CALLS SO I STAY AWARE WHAT OTHER ACFT ARE DOING. I USE ALL AVAILABLE NAVAIDS EVEN ON VISUAL APCHS. YET I MISIDENTED THE RWY OF THE TFC WE WERE FOLLOWING. I ALSO ALLOWED TCASII AND OTHER VISUAL TFC TO DISTRACT ME FROM MAINTAINING VISUAL ON OUR RWY AND DIDN'T MONITOR MY NAVAIDS UNTIL ON FINAL. I WOULD NOT HAVE LANDED ON THE 25 COMPLEX (DUE TO MY ILS AND CTLR) BUT I DEFINITELY INTRUDED ON THE 25 FINAL AIRSPACE. NEXT TIME I'M IN A SITUATION AT NIGHT, MARGINAL VFR, HVY TFC, INTENSE PACE OF OPS, I WILL ASK FOR AN ILS APCH.

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.