Narrative:

ILS approach to lax runway 24R with clearance to land, inside FAF, tower asked flight to report when runway became visible and cloud base. Captain (PNF) reported approximately 600 ft and a little less than 2 mi. Lax tower then stated 'switch runways and land runway 24L for traffic.' captain declined clearance stating he would go around if unable land straight ahead per previous clearance. Lax then reclred flight to land on runway 24R. Clearance to sidestep was technically illegal -- published sidestep minimums are 660 ft, and inherently dangerous at night in less than VFR conditions with crew not prepared prior to beginning approach with sidestep expected and properly briefed. EFIS/FMC glass cockpit aircraft also not optimally engineered for 'last min' runway changes (loss of guidance and approach aids required by FARS and company policy for IFR conditions). Finally, nonmandatory/critical communications initiated by ATC during final approach disruptive to safe conclusion of maneuver -- if tower needs flight to go around, then should just say so -- if traffic flow demands adjustment, revised clearance should be given to aircraft not in critical flight phase and definitely not invite illegal, violation type compliance by any aircraft.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAST MIN RWY CHANGE. ACFT AT 400 FT, 1.3 MI FROM RWY, PLT REFUSED. TWR RECLRED ACFT TO LAND ON ORIGINAL WAY.

Narrative: ILS APCH TO LAX RWY 24R WITH CLRNC TO LAND, INSIDE FAF, TWR ASKED FLT TO RPT WHEN RWY BECAME VISIBLE AND CLOUD BASE. CAPT (PNF) RPTED APPROX 600 FT AND A LITTLE LESS THAN 2 MI. LAX TWR THEN STATED 'SWITCH RWYS AND LAND RWY 24L FOR TFC.' CAPT DECLINED CLRNC STATING HE WOULD GAR IF UNABLE LAND STRAIGHT AHEAD PER PREVIOUS CLRNC. LAX THEN RECLRED FLT TO LAND ON RWY 24R. CLRNC TO SIDESTEP WAS TECHNICALLY ILLEGAL -- PUBLISHED SIDESTEP MINIMUMS ARE 660 FT, AND INHERENTLY DANGEROUS AT NIGHT IN LESS THAN VFR CONDITIONS WITH CREW NOT PREPARED PRIOR TO BEGINNING APCH WITH SIDESTEP EXPECTED AND PROPERLY BRIEFED. EFIS/FMC GLASS COCKPIT ACFT ALSO NOT OPTIMALLY ENGINEERED FOR 'LAST MIN' RWY CHANGES (LOSS OF GUIDANCE AND APCH AIDS REQUIRED BY FARS AND COMPANY POLICY FOR IFR CONDITIONS). FINALLY, NONMANDATORY/CRITICAL COMS INITIATED BY ATC DURING FINAL APCH DISRUPTIVE TO SAFE CONCLUSION OF MANEUVER -- IF TWR NEEDS FLT TO GAR, THEN SHOULD JUST SAY SO -- IF TFC FLOW DEMANDS ADJUSTMENT, REVISED CLRNC SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ACFT NOT IN CRITICAL FLT PHASE AND DEFINITELY NOT INVITE ILLEGAL, VIOLATION TYPE COMPLIANCE BY ANY ACFT.

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.