Sighted traffic lost on visual approach to runway 24R at lax. Heading track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	267635
Time
Date	199404
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3500 msl bound upper : 3500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : eyw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : straight in
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 7800 flight time type : 4800
ASRS Report	267635
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Cleared to 4500 ft after passing over smo VOR at 7000 ft, 070 degree heading. Conditions were late dusk, characteristic inversion/haze layer over los angeles basin at approximately 3500 ft, but visibility appeared to be as advertized on ATIS, approximately 5 mi. On downwind heading for runway 24R, numerous aircraft sighted on finals for runways 24 and 25 above haze layer. Advised by controller that we were following 'heavy 757' at 2 O'clock. In diminished light conditions, had lights of aircraft in that vicinity and called 'in sight.' controller seemed most anxious to dump us off for visual to runway 24R behind 757 and did so. Turned base to about 180 degree heading, 180 KIAS, configured at flaps 5, cleared to 2500 ft to intercept final. Aircraft presumed to be 757 disappeared as it went abeam and into haze layer. Tried to advise controller but unable to get communication in. At this time, descending through approximately 3500 ft, received TCASII RA 'increase descent.' display showed conflict at left 9 to 8 O'clock, increased descent. Crew attention diverted to RA, attempts to reacquire 757 and attempts to recontact controller, stayed too long on base leg, overshot final runway 24R localizer. Visually acquired runway 24R, north complex of lax, corrected to centerline, continued normal approach to landing. Never visually acquired traffic conflict. Contributing factors: diversion of attention from navigation due to RA, loss of visual on 757 due to meteorological conditions, controller overload. I wonder if recent change to daylight savings time was overlooked by controller as to what conditions crews were in.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SIGHTED TFC LOST ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX. HDG TRACK DEV.

Narrative: CLRED TO 4500 FT AFTER PASSING OVER SMO VOR AT 7000 FT, 070 DEG HDG. CONDITIONS WERE LATE DUSK, CHARACTERISTIC INVERSION/HAZE LAYER OVER LOS ANGELES BASIN AT APPROX 3500 FT, BUT VISIBILITY APPEARED TO BE AS ADVERTIZED ON ATIS, APPROX 5 MI. ON DOWNWIND HDG FOR RWY 24R, NUMEROUS ACFT SIGHTED ON FINALS FOR RWYS 24 AND 25 ABOVE HAZE LAYER. ADVISED BY CTLR THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING 'HVY 757' AT 2 O'CLOCK. IN DIMINISHED LIGHT CONDITIONS, HAD LIGHTS OF ACFT IN THAT VICINITY AND CALLED 'IN SIGHT.' CTLR SEEMED MOST ANXIOUS TO DUMP US OFF FOR VISUAL TO RWY 24R BEHIND 757 AND DID SO. TURNED BASE TO ABOUT 180 DEG HDG, 180 KIAS, CONFIGURED AT FLAPS 5, CLRED TO 2500 FT TO INTERCEPT FINAL. ACFT PRESUMED TO BE 757 DISAPPEARED AS IT WENT ABEAM AND INTO HAZE LAYER. TRIED TO ADVISE CTLR BUT UNABLE TO GET COM IN. AT THIS TIME, DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 3500 FT, RECEIVED TCASII RA 'INCREASE DSCNT.' DISPLAY SHOWED CONFLICT AT L 9 TO 8 O'CLOCK, INCREASED DSCNT. CREW ATTN DIVERTED TO RA, ATTEMPTS TO REACQUIRE 757 AND ATTEMPTS TO RECONTACT CTLR, STAYED TOO LONG ON BASE LEG, OVERSHOT FINAL RWY 24R LOC. VISUALLY ACQUIRED RWY 24R, N COMPLEX OF LAX, CORRECTED TO CTRLINE, CONTINUED NORMAL APCH TO LNDG. NEVER VISUALLY ACQUIRED TFC CONFLICT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DIVERSION OF ATTN FROM NAV DUE TO RA, LOSS OF VISUAL ON 757 DUE TO METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, CTLR OVERLOAD. I WONDER IF RECENT CHANGE TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME WAS OVERLOOKED BY CTLR AS TO WHAT CONDITIONS CREWS WERE IN.

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.