Narrative:

Sadde 6 arrival to lax. ATC assigned cross santa monica VOR at or above 7000 ft, proceed outbound heading 070 degrees, descend and maintain 2000 ft. After crossing smo, ATC asked us to increase rate of descent. Abeam lax they asked if field was in sight. We confirmed field in sight. (Note: overshooting wind from the northwest, approximately 20 KTS at altitude.) at approximately 4000 ft MSL we were given a right turn to specific heading, don't recall exact number, then cleared visual approach to runway 24R lax. Lowered landing gear and began right turn toward the runway. ATC then gave us a further right turn to another heading (don't remember exact heading). This caused some confusion as I thought we were cleared visual approach. Looked back in cockpit to confirm heading and address captain. Then looked back out and reacquired runway. ATC then asked if we had traffic in sight landing runway 25L, captain replied we did. I then realized I had focused my attention on runway 25R instead of runway 24R (after looking back outside). We think ATC pointed this traffic out because he thought we may overshoot runway 24R. Captain said traffic was at least 1000 ft below us. Never a conflict. I increased to 30 degree bank, and proceeded to runway 24R. No action to avoid conflict with any aircraft was required. Possible reasons for near overshoot: sunset didn't help, though not too bright. Lighting system for south complex runways appeared brighter than that of north complex. Higher than normal base leg turn, runway was not in its usual place as far as my visual reference was concerned. We also had an overshooting wind. I must stress this was a momentary deviation and there was never a traffic conflict. TCASII never called out 'traffic' to aircraft landing south complex. South complex runways are approximately 1 mi further east than north complex, also inducing this visual mistake.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CREW OVERSHOT THE EXTENDED RWY FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX. RPTR FO CITES VISUAL MISTAKE ASSOCIATED WITH AN 'OVERSHOOTING' TAILWIND IN THE VECTORED TURN TO FINAL.

Narrative: SADDE 6 ARR TO LAX. ATC ASSIGNED CROSS SANTA MONICA VOR AT OR ABOVE 7000 FT, PROCEED OUTBOUND HDG 070 DEGS, DSND AND MAINTAIN 2000 FT. AFTER XING SMO, ATC ASKED US TO INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT. ABEAM LAX THEY ASKED IF FIELD WAS IN SIGHT. WE CONFIRMED FIELD IN SIGHT. (NOTE: OVERSHOOTING WIND FROM THE NW, APPROX 20 KTS AT ALT.) AT APPROX 4000 FT MSL WE WERE GIVEN A R TURN TO SPECIFIC HDG, DON'T RECALL EXACT NUMBER, THEN CLRED VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R LAX. LOWERED LNDG GEAR AND BEGAN R TURN TOWARD THE RWY. ATC THEN GAVE US A FURTHER R TURN TO ANOTHER HDG (DON'T REMEMBER EXACT HDG). THIS CAUSED SOME CONFUSION AS I THOUGHT WE WERE CLRED VISUAL APCH. LOOKED BACK IN COCKPIT TO CONFIRM HDG AND ADDRESS CAPT. THEN LOOKED BACK OUT AND REACQUIRED RWY. ATC THEN ASKED IF WE HAD TFC IN SIGHT LNDG RWY 25L, CAPT REPLIED WE DID. I THEN REALIZED I HAD FOCUSED MY ATTN ON RWY 25R INSTEAD OF RWY 24R (AFTER LOOKING BACK OUTSIDE). WE THINK ATC POINTED THIS TFC OUT BECAUSE HE THOUGHT WE MAY OVERSHOOT RWY 24R. CAPT SAID TFC WAS AT LEAST 1000 FT BELOW US. NEVER A CONFLICT. I INCREASED TO 30 DEG BANK, AND PROCEEDED TO RWY 24R. NO ACTION TO AVOID CONFLICT WITH ANY ACFT WAS REQUIRED. POSSIBLE REASONS FOR NEAR OVERSHOOT: SUNSET DIDN'T HELP, THOUGH NOT TOO BRIGHT. LIGHTING SYS FOR S COMPLEX RWYS APPEARED BRIGHTER THAN THAT OF N COMPLEX. HIGHER THAN NORMAL BASE LEG TURN, RWY WAS NOT IN ITS USUAL PLACE AS FAR AS MY VISUAL REF WAS CONCERNED. WE ALSO HAD AN OVERSHOOTING WIND. I MUST STRESS THIS WAS A MOMENTARY DEV AND THERE WAS NEVER A TFC CONFLICT. TCASII NEVER CALLED OUT 'TFC' TO ACFT LNDG S COMPLEX. S COMPLEX RWYS ARE APPROX 1 MI FURTHER E THAN N COMPLEX, ALSO INDUCING THIS VISUAL MISTAKE.

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.