Narrative:

The lax approach environment is one that I consider to be the most stressful of any I encounter, especially under VFR conditions, on a wkend day. That was the situation yesterday. The approach is extremely controled by ATC in speed, altitude, and directions (vectors). This necessitates a great deal of time being spent inside the cockpit even under VFR conditions. This is in an environment that is the most hazardous in reference to VFR, light plane traffic, and therefore the need to be outside the cockpit. Our approach was never more controled from beyond 50 mi out. The vectors and altitude assignments were most unusual in number. On the close in approach we were given a vector, speed, and communication change. We tuned, slowed, and I changed the frequency in the VHF communication box, but got distraction at that moment and never made the new frequency check-in with socal approach. And we just continued on the approach and forgot to call in until we were reminded by lax that we did not receive official approach clearance. It was our oversight, but a lesson to me once again of how closely you have to pay particular attention on the lax approach because there is so much going on to distract you.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LGT ACFT ON APCH TO LAX. RPTR STATES APCH THE MOST STRESSFUL OF ANY HE ENCOUNTERS DUE TO HVY TFC, MULTIPLE HDG AND ALT CLRNCS REQUIRING MUCH HEADS DOWN IN COCKPIT IN A VERY CONGESTED ENVIRONMENT WHERE VISUAL WATCH IS IMPORTANT. FLC WAS GIVEN A VECTOR, SPD AND COM CHANGE WHEN RPTR CAPT BECAME DISTR AND FORGOT TO CHK IN WITH NEW APCH CTLR UNTIL CTLR CALLED TO REMIND THE FLC THAT THEY HAD NOT BEEN CLRED FOR THE APCH.

Narrative: THE LAX APCH ENVIRONMENT IS ONE THAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE MOST STRESSFUL OF ANY I ENCOUNTER, ESPECIALLY UNDER VFR CONDITIONS, ON A WKEND DAY. THAT WAS THE SIT YESTERDAY. THE APCH IS EXTREMELY CTLED BY ATC IN SPD, ALT, AND DIRECTIONS (VECTORS). THIS NECESSITATES A GREAT DEAL OF TIME BEING SPENT INSIDE THE COCKPIT EVEN UNDER VFR CONDITIONS. THIS IS IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT IS THE MOST HAZARDOUS IN REF TO VFR, LIGHT PLANE TFC, AND THEREFORE THE NEED TO BE OUTSIDE THE COCKPIT. OUR APCH WAS NEVER MORE CTLED FROM BEYOND 50 MI OUT. THE VECTORS AND ALT ASSIGNMENTS WERE MOST UNUSUAL IN NUMBER. ON THE CLOSE IN APCH WE WERE GIVEN A VECTOR, SPD, AND COM CHANGE. WE TUNED, SLOWED, AND I CHANGED THE FREQ IN THE VHF COM BOX, BUT GOT DISTR AT THAT MOMENT AND NEVER MADE THE NEW FREQ CHK-IN WITH SOCAL APCH. AND WE JUST CONTINUED ON THE APCH AND FORGOT TO CALL IN UNTIL WE WERE REMINDED BY LAX THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE OFFICIAL APCH CLRNC. IT WAS OUR OVERSIGHT, BUT A LESSON TO ME ONCE AGAIN OF HOW CLOSELY YOU HAVE TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTN ON THE LAX APCH BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH GOING ON TO DISTRACT YOU.

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.