Narrative:

I was on my IOE for B737-300, oak-lax on apr/xa/98. We were on a right downwind to the runway 24 complex when approach cleared us for a visual approach to follow a B757 on final. We had a good visual on the B757, but I couldn't see the airport environment (lights, dusk, unfamiliarity, etc). We dialed in the localizer as backup, and I proceeded to follow the B757. On dogleg, I looked to be approaching the 6 O'clock position of the B757, so I started to turn directly to final. I then noticed to localizer was approaching full deflection, so I turned to correct back to the right (I believe we were cleared runway 24L). The approach controller came up at that time to tell us he had an aircraft on approach on the runway 25 complex, and we needed to come right. We told him we were in the turn. We saw the airport at that time also, and noted we were between the 2 complexes, though much closer to the runway 24 complex (where we were supposed to be). The controller never sounded urgent, and we don't think we got close to the other approach zone, but we felt uncomfortable that by following proper visual approach procedures (ie, following the preceding aircraft), and not being that far off runway alignment, we came to a point where the controller felt he needed to talk to us. There are no notes in the commercial charts to stay to one side of the localizer beam such as in sfo. Possible solutions: 1) advise ahead of time of traffic on the other runway. 2) don't clear aircraft for visual approachs to close parallel runways. 3) make a charted visual procedure with the appropriate notes.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-300 ACFT TURNING IN FOR FINAL APCH OVERSHOT CTRLINE OF ASSIGNED RWY AND ENCROACHED ON PARALLEL RWY APCH PATH.

Narrative: I WAS ON MY IOE FOR B737-300, OAK-LAX ON APR/XA/98. WE WERE ON A R DOWNWIND TO THE RWY 24 COMPLEX WHEN APCH CLRED US FOR A VISUAL APCH TO FOLLOW A B757 ON FINAL. WE HAD A GOOD VISUAL ON THE B757, BUT I COULDN'T SEE THE ARPT ENVIRONMENT (LIGHTS, DUSK, UNFAMILIARITY, ETC). WE DIALED IN THE LOC AS BACKUP, AND I PROCEEDED TO FOLLOW THE B757. ON DOGLEG, I LOOKED TO BE APCHING THE 6 O'CLOCK POS OF THE B757, SO I STARTED TO TURN DIRECTLY TO FINAL. I THEN NOTICED TO LOC WAS APCHING FULL DEFLECTION, SO I TURNED TO CORRECT BACK TO THE R (I BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED RWY 24L). THE APCH CTLR CAME UP AT THAT TIME TO TELL US HE HAD AN ACFT ON APCH ON THE RWY 25 COMPLEX, AND WE NEEDED TO COME R. WE TOLD HIM WE WERE IN THE TURN. WE SAW THE ARPT AT THAT TIME ALSO, AND NOTED WE WERE BTWN THE 2 COMPLEXES, THOUGH MUCH CLOSER TO THE RWY 24 COMPLEX (WHERE WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE). THE CTLR NEVER SOUNDED URGENT, AND WE DON'T THINK WE GOT CLOSE TO THE OTHER APCH ZONE, BUT WE FELT UNCOMFORTABLE THAT BY FOLLOWING PROPER VISUAL APCH PROCS (IE, FOLLOWING THE PRECEDING ACFT), AND NOT BEING THAT FAR OFF RWY ALIGNMENT, WE CAME TO A POINT WHERE THE CTLR FELT HE NEEDED TO TALK TO US. THERE ARE NO NOTES IN THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS TO STAY TO ONE SIDE OF THE LOC BEAM SUCH AS IN SFO. POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS: 1) ADVISE AHEAD OF TIME OF TFC ON THE OTHER RWY. 2) DON'T CLR ACFT FOR VISUAL APCHS TO CLOSE PARALLEL RWYS. 3) MAKE A CHARTED VISUAL PROC WITH THE APPROPRIATE NOTES.

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.