An air carrier medium large transport overshot the localizer in the smog at lax.

Attributes
ACN	276282
Time
Date	199407
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 2500 agl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax tower : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual arrival other
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 : visual arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time total : 15000
ASRS Report	276282
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Weather
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were expecting a visual to runway 24R. We were on a right downwind and descending to 5500 ft. Approximately 9 mi out we were cleared for the visual. We turned base and started slowing. Approach cleared us over to tower control 133.9. While we were on base, I noticed a 757 in our 10 O'clock position on final for runway 25L. The first officer overshot the localizer and final because of the sun and haze, and his intercept angle (90 degrees). While in the turn to realign with final for runway 24R, lax tower called and asked us to level off at 2800 ft and if we had the 757 in sight. I responded that we did have the 757 in sight. At this time we were still left of the runway 24R final approach course but were repositioning to get lined up, and there was not a separation problem with the 757. I'm sure it appeared that there could be a problem with separation (from the controller's perspective) when we initially overshot final. The TCASII never indicated there was a separation problem with the 757. We were cleared to land on runway 24R without further ado. To avoid this in the future, I will request vectors to the localizer if in doubt about the position of the runway and the proper intercept angle for the localizer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG OVERSHOT THE LOC IN THE SMOG AT LAX.

Narrative: WE WERE EXPECTING A VISUAL TO RWY 24R. WE WERE ON A R DOWNWIND AND DSNDING TO 5500 FT. APPROX 9 MI OUT WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL. WE TURNED BASE AND STARTED SLOWING. APCH CLRED US OVER TO TWR CTL 133.9. WHILE WE WERE ON BASE, I NOTICED A 757 IN OUR 10 O'CLOCK POS ON FINAL FOR RWY 25L. THE FO OVERSHOT THE LOC AND FINAL BECAUSE OF THE SUN AND HAZE, AND HIS INTERCEPT ANGLE (90 DEGS). WHILE IN THE TURN TO REALIGN WITH FINAL FOR RWY 24R, LAX TWR CALLED AND ASKED US TO LEVEL OFF AT 2800 FT AND IF WE HAD THE 757 IN SIGHT. I RESPONDED THAT WE DID HAVE THE 757 IN SIGHT. AT THIS TIME WE WERE STILL L OF THE RWY 24R FINAL APCH COURSE BUT WERE REPOSITIONING TO GET LINED UP, AND THERE WAS NOT A SEPARATION PROB WITH THE 757. I'M SURE IT APPEARED THAT THERE COULD BE A PROB WITH SEPARATION (FROM THE CTLR'S PERSPECTIVE) WHEN WE INITIALLY OVERSHOT FINAL. THE TCASII NEVER INDICATED THERE WAS A SEPARATION PROB WITH THE 757. WE WERE CLRED TO LAND ON RWY 24R WITHOUT FURTHER ADO. TO AVOID THIS IN THE FUTURE, I WILL REQUEST VECTORS TO THE LOC IF IN DOUBT ABOUT THE POS OF THE RWY AND THE PROPER INTERCEPT ANGLE FOR THE LOC.

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.