Wrong runway approach.

Attributes
ACN	234368
Time
Date	199302
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 3300
ASRS Report	234368
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance 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:

We were being vectored off the sadde 4 arrival (into lax) for a right crosswind to runway 24R (north complex). They cleared us for the visual to 24R without ever asking us if we had the airport in sight. We accepted the visual anyway. I started turning and lining up for what I thought was 24R. Approximately 3 mi on final, tower came on and told us we were lined up on the south complex 25R. We immediately corrected and landed on the correct runway (24R north complex). It was a busy arrival from the smo VOR inbound. We should have never accepted the visual in retrospect (at least not right away). Also, we had the navaids dialed up for 24R but took them out of our scan during the turn final. That should have tipped us off. Since the north complex is offset further west than the south complex, I believe that is what caused me to spot that (i.e., south complex) first.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG RWY APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE BEING VECTORED OFF THE SADDE 4 ARR (INTO LAX) FOR A R XWIND TO RWY 24R (N COMPLEX). THEY CLRED US FOR THE VISUAL TO 24R WITHOUT EVER ASKING US IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL ANYWAY. I STARTED TURNING AND LINING UP FOR WHAT I THOUGHT WAS 24R. APPROX 3 MI ON FINAL, TWR CAME ON AND TOLD US WE WERE LINED UP ON THE S COMPLEX 25R. WE IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED AND LANDED ON THE CORRECT RWY (24R N COMPLEX). IT WAS A BUSY ARR FROM THE SMO VOR INBOUND. WE SHOULD HAVE NEVER ACCEPTED THE VISUAL IN RETROSPECT (AT LEAST NOT RIGHT AWAY). ALSO, WE HAD THE NAVAIDS DIALED UP FOR 24R BUT TOOK THEM OUT OF OUR SCAN DURING THE TURN FINAL. THAT SHOULD HAVE TIPPED US OFF. SINCE THE N COMPLEX IS OFFSET FURTHER W THAN THE S COMPLEX, I BELIEVE THAT IS WHAT CAUSED ME TO SPOT THAT (I.E., S COMPLEX) FIRST.

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.