Narrative:

Prior to handoff to los angeles approach control, socal approach advised us to expect the stadium visual to runway 24R. Our position was just east of smo VOR, descending to 3500 ft MSL. While still flying on the 068 degree radial of smo we were handed off to lax approach. They called traffic at our 1-2 O'clock position, an MD80. I reported the traffic in sight, at which time lax approach advised us to follow that traffic, cleared for the stadium visual to runway 24R. I acknowledged the clearance to runway 24R. At about the time we would have turned base as per the published procedure, approach gave us a vector and a speed reduction to (I think) 170 KTS. We re-tuned our navaids for the localizer/DME runway 24R, 108.5, and set 249 degrees in the course window. When we looked up, an MD80 was in our 12 O'clock position, lower, lined up to what we thought was the north complex (runways 24L/right). We queried the controller as to his (the MD80's) runway and we were told he was lined up for the south complex (runways 25L/right). We queried a second time then started a turn to the west to parallel the traffic. Approach advised us not to overshoot our final and gave us a turn to 290 degrees to reestablish ourselves on runway 24R. During the turn the north complex came into view. We made an uneventful landing and were instructed to call approach via telephone. 2 factors in this event are the controller's vector to base leg, which essentially cancels the published approach procedure until vectored back onto it, and the disparity of the north versus south complex, which because of their staggered layout and turning into the hazy sun the south complex is visible prior to the assigned north complex. Subsequent vectors to final would have precluded this event.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B727 FLC ON VISUAL APCH INTO LAX OVERSHOOTS CTRLINE WITH MD80 ON PARALLEL. LTSS.

Narrative: PRIOR TO HDOF TO LOS ANGELES APCH CTL, SOCAL APCH ADVISED US TO EXPECT THE STADIUM VISUAL TO RWY 24R. OUR POS WAS JUST E OF SMO VOR, DSNDING TO 3500 FT MSL. WHILE STILL FLYING ON THE 068 DEG RADIAL OF SMO WE WERE HANDED OFF TO LAX APCH. THEY CALLED TFC AT OUR 1-2 O'CLOCK POS, AN MD80. I RPTED THE TFC IN SIGHT, AT WHICH TIME LAX APCH ADVISED US TO FOLLOW THAT TFC, CLRED FOR THE STADIUM VISUAL TO RWY 24R. I ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLRNC TO RWY 24R. AT ABOUT THE TIME WE WOULD HAVE TURNED BASE AS PER THE PUBLISHED PROC, APCH GAVE US A VECTOR AND A SPD REDUCTION TO (I THINK) 170 KTS. WE RE-TUNED OUR NAVAIDS FOR THE LOC/DME RWY 24R, 108.5, AND SET 249 DEGS IN THE COURSE WINDOW. WHEN WE LOOKED UP, AN MD80 WAS IN OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS, LOWER, LINED UP TO WHAT WE THOUGHT WAS THE N COMPLEX (RWYS 24L/R). WE QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO HIS (THE MD80'S) RWY AND WE WERE TOLD HE WAS LINED UP FOR THE S COMPLEX (RWYS 25L/R). WE QUERIED A SECOND TIME THEN STARTED A TURN TO THE W TO PARALLEL THE TFC. APCH ADVISED US NOT TO OVERSHOOT OUR FINAL AND GAVE US A TURN TO 290 DEGS TO REESTABLISH OURSELVES ON RWY 24R. DURING THE TURN THE N COMPLEX CAME INTO VIEW. WE MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND WERE INSTRUCTED TO CALL APCH VIA TELEPHONE. 2 FACTORS IN THIS EVENT ARE THE CTLR'S VECTOR TO BASE LEG, WHICH ESSENTIALLY CANCELS THE PUBLISHED APCH PROC UNTIL VECTORED BACK ONTO IT, AND THE DISPARITY OF THE N VERSUS S COMPLEX, WHICH BECAUSE OF THEIR STAGGERED LAYOUT AND TURNING INTO THE HAZY SUN THE S COMPLEX IS VISIBLE PRIOR TO THE ASSIGNED N COMPLEX. SUBSEQUENT VECTORS TO FINAL WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED THIS EVENT.

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.