Narrative:

Arrs were landing to the east. Visuals were being conducted to runway 6R. Once radar contact was established, we were cleared direct lax, pilot's discretion, to 6000 ft. As we descended through 7000 ft, we told socal approach we were IMC and asked for lower. The controller instructed us to turn left 10 degrees (050 degree heading), intercept the runway 6R localizer, descend and maintain 4000 ft. The captain (PNF) was monitoring the VOR. The CDI showed us 8-10 degrees south of course and correcting slowly. As we approached 4000 ft, we requested lower again. Approach cleared us to intercept the runway 6R localizer at or above 2000 ft, cleared for the ILS runway 6R approach. As we descended through 3000 ft, we still had not intercepted the runway 6R localizer. I made a 20 degree correction to the left (030 degrees). The captain concurred. As we leveled off at 2000 ft, we broke out of the fog bank. We were lined up with the south complex (runway 7L/right),2 mi south of the runway 6R final! We called runway in sight and visually sidestepped to an uneventful landing and rollout. Before switching to tower, we informed the approach controller as to our displeasure with his vector to final. His response 'roger.' if we hadn't been the only aircraft in the immediate area, the results could have far less favorable. Socal approach should know that VFR at lax doesn't mean VFR over water -- especially at night. Why our flight path wasn't being monitored more closely I don't know. Maybe the controller confused runway 7L (south complex) with runway 6R (north complex). Runway 7L did have runway and approach lights on. It apparently was open. Thank goodness I fly into lax often and know what to look for at night. A less experienced crew might not have been so fortunate. From now on I will insist that the vector provide allows course intercept at least 8 mi out. I will then query the controller. If still uncomfortable, I will go around. 'If it doesn't feel right, go around and sort it out.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 RECEIVES VECTOR TO ILS FINAL THAT DOES NOT INTERCEPT COURSE IN TIME TO LAND.

Narrative: ARRS WERE LNDG TO THE E. VISUALS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 6R. ONCE RADAR CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED, WE WERE CLRED DIRECT LAX, PLT'S DISCRETION, TO 6000 FT. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 7000 FT, WE TOLD SOCAL APCH WE WERE IMC AND ASKED FOR LOWER. THE CTLR INSTRUCTED US TO TURN L 10 DEGS (050 DEG HDG), INTERCEPT THE RWY 6R LOC, DSND AND MAINTAIN 4000 FT. THE CAPT (PNF) WAS MONITORING THE VOR. THE CDI SHOWED US 8-10 DEGS S OF COURSE AND CORRECTING SLOWLY. AS WE APCHED 4000 FT, WE REQUESTED LOWER AGAIN. APCH CLRED US TO INTERCEPT THE RWY 6R LOC AT OR ABOVE 2000 FT, CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 6R APCH. AS WE DSNDED THROUGH 3000 FT, WE STILL HAD NOT INTERCEPTED THE RWY 6R LOC. I MADE A 20 DEG CORRECTION TO THE L (030 DEGS). THE CAPT CONCURRED. AS WE LEVELED OFF AT 2000 FT, WE BROKE OUT OF THE FOG BANK. WE WERE LINED UP WITH THE S COMPLEX (RWY 7L/R),2 MI S OF THE RWY 6R FINAL! WE CALLED RWY IN SIGHT AND VISUALLY SIDESTEPPED TO AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG AND ROLLOUT. BEFORE SWITCHING TO TWR, WE INFORMED THE APCH CTLR AS TO OUR DISPLEASURE WITH HIS VECTOR TO FINAL. HIS RESPONSE 'ROGER.' IF WE HADN'T BEEN THE ONLY ACFT IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA, THE RESULTS COULD HAVE FAR LESS FAVORABLE. SOCAL APCH SHOULD KNOW THAT VFR AT LAX DOESN'T MEAN VFR OVER WATER -- ESPECIALLY AT NIGHT. WHY OUR FLT PATH WASN'T BEING MONITORED MORE CLOSELY I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE THE CTLR CONFUSED RWY 7L (S COMPLEX) WITH RWY 6R (N COMPLEX). RWY 7L DID HAVE RWY AND APCH LIGHTS ON. IT APPARENTLY WAS OPEN. THANK GOODNESS I FLY INTO LAX OFTEN AND KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR AT NIGHT. A LESS EXPERIENCED CREW MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SO FORTUNATE. FROM NOW ON I WILL INSIST THAT THE VECTOR PROVIDE ALLOWS COURSE INTERCEPT AT LEAST 8 MI OUT. I WILL THEN QUERY THE CTLR. IF STILL UNCOMFORTABLE, I WILL GO AROUND. 'IF IT DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT, GO AROUND AND SORT IT OUT.'

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.