A B737 on visual approach runway 24L overshot the final approach course and crosses in front of a B757 on approach to runway 25L. The controller advised the B757 to maintain visual separation from the B737. The controller speculates that a strong northern wind may have contributed to the overshot.

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Attributes
ACN	371790
Time
Date	199706
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	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	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 5 controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	371790
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was working a B737 on a right base visual approach to runway 24L at lax. The B737 was instructed to follow a B747 ahead on final to runway 24R. The B737 overshot final and crossed over onto the runway 25L final directly in front of a B757. I was extremely busy at the time of the incident transitioning from simultaneous ILS approachs to visuals. The visibility was poor at lax but the plane to plane visibility was okay. I am not sure why the B737 overshot the final. There was a strong north wind that may have affected the B737's base leg turn. As it turns out the B757 on the runway 25L final was instructed to maintain visual separation which kept the operation legal. Regardless of legality it was still an unsafe operation. The supervisor was fully aware of this incident.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B737 ON VISUAL APCH RWY 24L OVERSHOT THE FINAL APCH COURSE AND CROSSES IN FRONT OF A B757 ON APCH TO RWY 25L. THE CTLR ADVISED THE B757 TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM THE B737. THE CTLR SPECULATES THAT A STRONG NORTHERN WIND MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE OVERSHOT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A B737 ON A R BASE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24L AT LAX. THE B737 WAS INSTRUCTED TO FOLLOW A B747 AHEAD ON FINAL TO RWY 24R. THE B737 OVERSHOT FINAL AND CROSSED OVER ONTO THE RWY 25L FINAL DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF A B757. I WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT TRANSITIONING FROM SIMULTANEOUS ILS APCHS TO VISUALS. THE VISIBILITY WAS POOR AT LAX BUT THE PLANE TO PLANE VISIBILITY WAS OKAY. I AM NOT SURE WHY THE B737 OVERSHOT THE FINAL. THERE WAS A STRONG N WIND THAT MAY HAVE AFFECTED THE B737'S BASE LEG TURN. AS IT TURNS OUT THE B757 ON THE RWY 25L FINAL WAS INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WHICH KEPT THE OP LEGAL. REGARDLESS OF LEGALITY IT WAS STILL AN UNSAFE OP. THE SUPVR WAS FULLY AWARE OF THIS INCIDENT.

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.