Narrative:

On final approach to lax (runway 25L) we had TCASII alert us to an aircraft descending from above and behind us. Approach had told us to maintain 4000 ft, then forgot us. When I finally got a chance, I asked for lower and she reclred us for the approach (we were 9-10 mi, now well above glide path) and we got everything out, to get down to it. At no time did we get a traffic call, or did I recognize us as being called out to someone else. Lax was calling 7 mi, but you had to be below 3000 ft to get that. Very haze above. As we approached the marker, the TCASII showed a TA and as we descended below 2000 ft, 6 mi, the alert became an RA. When it showed 300 ft above, and the symbol touched our aircraft (5 mi scale) on the TCASII, we added power, deviated slightly and went around. Approach was talking constantly and had never switched us to tower so I went ahead, switched to tower and called the missed approach. Upon asking tower, he said that the traffic above was a commuter who was on a base to runway 25R and was supposed to have seen us. I don't believe he saw us if he did call traffic. I don't think he should ever have been cleared to cross to the right runway (so close to us especially). Approach forgot to switch us to tower on the second approach also. Approach never told us about any traffic and I still don't know who it was or who was controling him. Forgetting us at 4000 ft also made this whole exercise 'not fun.' if the controller was good, and overwhelmed, something needs to be done about all that traffic. The visibility isn't good enough for VFR inexperienced pilots. If the controller didn't see our situation, someone needs to counsel her or check the computer system. I called afterwards from the hotel and gave the information, and suggested they look at the tapes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF MD80 HAS NMAC WITH COMMUTER WHEN ON FINAL APCH TO LAX. ATC APPARENTLY FORGOT ACR AND LEFT THEM QUITE HIGH. ON RAPID DSCNT TCASII RA ALERTED THEM TO TFC.

Narrative: ON FINAL APCH TO LAX (RWY 25L) WE HAD TCASII ALERT US TO AN ACFT DSNDING FROM ABOVE AND BEHIND US. APCH HAD TOLD US TO MAINTAIN 4000 FT, THEN FORGOT US. WHEN I FINALLY GOT A CHANCE, I ASKED FOR LOWER AND SHE RECLRED US FOR THE APCH (WE WERE 9-10 MI, NOW WELL ABOVE GLIDE PATH) AND WE GOT EVERYTHING OUT, TO GET DOWN TO IT. AT NO TIME DID WE GET A TFC CALL, OR DID I RECOGNIZE US AS BEING CALLED OUT TO SOMEONE ELSE. LAX WAS CALLING 7 MI, BUT YOU HAD TO BE BELOW 3000 FT TO GET THAT. VERY HAZE ABOVE. AS WE APCHED THE MARKER, THE TCASII SHOWED A TA AND AS WE DSNDED BELOW 2000 FT, 6 MI, THE ALERT BECAME AN RA. WHEN IT SHOWED 300 FT ABOVE, AND THE SYMBOL TOUCHED OUR ACFT (5 MI SCALE) ON THE TCASII, WE ADDED PWR, DEVIATED SLIGHTLY AND WENT AROUND. APCH WAS TALKING CONSTANTLY AND HAD NEVER SWITCHED US TO TWR SO I WENT AHEAD, SWITCHED TO TWR AND CALLED THE MISSED APCH. UPON ASKING TWR, HE SAID THAT THE TFC ABOVE WAS A COMMUTER WHO WAS ON A BASE TO RWY 25R AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE SEEN US. I DON'T BELIEVE HE SAW US IF HE DID CALL TFC. I DON'T THINK HE SHOULD EVER HAVE BEEN CLRED TO CROSS TO THE R RWY (SO CLOSE TO US ESPECIALLY). APCH FORGOT TO SWITCH US TO TWR ON THE SECOND APCH ALSO. APCH NEVER TOLD US ABOUT ANY TFC AND I STILL DON'T KNOW WHO IT WAS OR WHO WAS CTLING HIM. FORGETTING US AT 4000 FT ALSO MADE THIS WHOLE EXERCISE 'NOT FUN.' IF THE CTLR WAS GOOD, AND OVERWHELMED, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT ALL THAT TFC. THE VISIBILITY ISN'T GOOD ENOUGH FOR VFR INEXPERIENCED PLTS. IF THE CTLR DIDN'T SEE OUR SIT, SOMEONE NEEDS TO COUNSEL HER OR CHK THE COMPUTER SYS. I CALLED AFTERWARDS FROM THE HOTEL AND GAVE THE INFO, AND SUGGESTED THEY LOOK AT THE TAPES.

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.