Narrative:

While being vectored from the sli VORTAC to an ILS runway 25L approach at lax, at an altitude of 3500 ft MSL, the flight was cleared by approach control to intercept the runway 25L localizer. The aircraft was on the autoplt and coupled for an autoland approach. The aircraft captured the localizer at 14-15 DME. At approximately 13 DME the flight was cleared for the runway 25L ILS approach. The autoland mode was selected and the GS captured immediately. This may have been slightly outside the hunda fix (12.2 DME). Hunda is the fix where you may descend to 2100 ft MSL. The flight had been slowed to 150 KIAS for spacing on another aircraft. This required the gear and landing flaps to be extended early and may have distraction us from our DME awareness. A normal autoland approach and landing was made without incident. Lax carries a NOTAM that the runway 25L GS on the ILS is not usable beyond 10 NM. However, this is a recent NOTAM and with the distraction of slowing behind the other aircraft, I assumed we were closer than 10 NM from the airport. Automation can lull you into complacency, as well as 13 hours on duty causes a fatigue factor to occur. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter was just uncertain as to where he was in relation to any crossing restrs. He just didn't have a good feel for his geographic location. He stated he wasn't quite certain what altitude limitations apply when cleared for the ILS to wry 25L. Reporter stated that a statement from the controller that when cleared for the ILS to runway 25L to comply with all altitude restrs, it would have forced him to be more aware of his distance from the runway. Reporter stated that all flight crew were fatigued. Supplemental information from acn 349056: began descent slightly before hunda intersection at 3500 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter is an over age 60 first officer. He has a lot of experience as captain on this type aircraft and flying into the lax airport. He is not issued approach charts as so, but he is familiar enough with the lax ILS runway 25L approach that he felt certain they were at lower altitude than they should be for their geographic location. This is why he filed an ASRS report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT FLIES LOW DURING APCH TO RWY 25L ILS AT LAX.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED FROM THE SLI VORTAC TO AN ILS RWY 25L APCH AT LAX, AT AN ALT OF 3500 FT MSL, THE FLT WAS CLRED BY APCH CTL TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 25L LOC. THE ACFT WAS ON THE AUTOPLT AND COUPLED FOR AN AUTOLAND APCH. THE ACFT CAPTURED THE LOC AT 14-15 DME. AT APPROX 13 DME THE FLT WAS CLRED FOR THE RWY 25L ILS APCH. THE AUTOLAND MODE WAS SELECTED AND THE GS CAPTURED IMMEDIATELY. THIS MAY HAVE BEEN SLIGHTLY OUTSIDE THE HUNDA FIX (12.2 DME). HUNDA IS THE FIX WHERE YOU MAY DSND TO 2100 FT MSL. THE FLT HAD BEEN SLOWED TO 150 KIAS FOR SPACING ON ANOTHER ACFT. THIS REQUIRED THE GEAR AND LNDG FLAPS TO BE EXTENDED EARLY AND MAY HAVE DISTR US FROM OUR DME AWARENESS. A NORMAL AUTOLAND APCH AND LNDG WAS MADE WITHOUT INCIDENT. LAX CARRIES A NOTAM THAT THE RWY 25L GS ON THE ILS IS NOT USABLE BEYOND 10 NM. HOWEVER, THIS IS A RECENT NOTAM AND WITH THE DISTR OF SLOWING BEHIND THE OTHER ACFT, I ASSUMED WE WERE CLOSER THAN 10 NM FROM THE ARPT. AUTOMATION CAN LULL YOU INTO COMPLACENCY, AS WELL AS 13 HRS ON DUTY CAUSES A FATIGUE FACTOR TO OCCUR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR WAS JUST UNCERTAIN AS TO WHERE HE WAS IN RELATION TO ANY XING RESTRS. HE JUST DIDN'T HAVE A GOOD FEEL FOR HIS GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. HE STATED HE WASN'T QUITE CERTAIN WHAT ALT LIMITATIONS APPLY WHEN CLRED FOR THE ILS TO WRY 25L. RPTR STATED THAT A STATEMENT FROM THE CTLR THAT WHEN CLRED FOR THE ILS TO RWY 25L TO COMPLY WITH ALL ALT RESTRS, IT WOULD HAVE FORCED HIM TO BE MORE AWARE OF HIS DISTANCE FROM THE RWY. RPTR STATED THAT ALL FLC WERE FATIGUED. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 349056: BEGAN DSCNT SLIGHTLY BEFORE HUNDA INTXN AT 3500 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR IS AN OVER AGE 60 FO. HE HAS A LOT OF EXPERIENCE AS CAPT ON THIS TYPE ACFT AND FLYING INTO THE LAX ARPT. HE IS NOT ISSUED APCH CHARTS AS SO, BUT HE IS FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH THE LAX ILS RWY 25L APCH THAT HE FELT CERTAIN THEY WERE AT LOWER ALT THAN THEY SHOULD BE FOR THEIR GEOGRAPHIC LOCATION. THIS IS WHY HE FILED AN ASRS RPT.

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.