Narrative:

Nearing lax, we noticed that the wind was easterly and they were landing west. ZLA advised we would have to hold at pdz due to 2 flts requiring an east landing. I told center we would also require landing to the east if the winds remained out of limits. Center responded they couldn't help us and let socal approach know. As we departed the fix toward lax and switched to direction, they told us that they were landing west runway 25/24 and the wind was 130 degrees at 19 KTS. We told them they should turn the airport around. Socal said they couldn't do that and we should ask the tower if we had a problem. As we were passed to tower and landing clearance given, I asked why they hadn't turned the airport around and the controller said he didn't have the power to do that but had been trying all morning and no one would listen. They asked if we could complete the landing. I responded 'standby.' nearing 1000 ft, I asked for a wind check. Tower said '130 degrees or 140 degrees at 19 KTS.' below 500 ft, I saw the wind vector well behind the wing at 23 KTS. At this point I called 'go around.' during the go around, TCASII sounded an alert. I could not see the traffic until he was near direct overhead. During all the confusion of the go around and the traffic, we received 2 or 3 vectors after which I asked to make sure these were vectors for an east runway 6/7 landing and the tower said, 'oh no, we are taking you around for another west landing.' I told them I could not do that and they responded 'the winds have died down.' again, I said I had to land to the east. They said I would have to hold and I told them I could do that for only a very short time -- 3 or 4 mins. I told them I was minimum fuel. The next controller asked if I had an emergency and I said no, but I didn't have time to mess around. I needed to get on an approach now. He said 'I am declaring emergency fuel for you, turn right and call the airport in sight, cleared to land runway 6R.' as we called the airport in sight we could see traffic landing on runway 24L in our face. We were switch to runway 6L. A visual landing was completed. No aids available as we taxied to the gate, we observed all aircraft taking off and landing east.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF A B767 MADE GAR ON FINAL AT LAX DUE TO THE CURRENT RPTED WIND EXCEEDING THE ACFT'S TAILWIND COMPONENT FOR LNDG AND SUBSEQUENTLY OBTAINED LNDG CLRNC IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. MINIMUM FUEL HAD TO BE DECLARED TO PREVENT HOLDING DELAY FOR LNDG.

Narrative: NEARING LAX, WE NOTICED THAT THE WIND WAS EASTERLY AND THEY WERE LNDG W. ZLA ADVISED WE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD AT PDZ DUE TO 2 FLTS REQUIRING AN E LNDG. I TOLD CTR WE WOULD ALSO REQUIRE LNDG TO THE E IF THE WINDS REMAINED OUT OF LIMITS. CTR RESPONDED THEY COULDN'T HELP US AND LET SOCAL APCH KNOW. AS WE DEPARTED THE FIX TOWARD LAX AND SWITCHED TO DIRECTION, THEY TOLD US THAT THEY WERE LNDG W RWY 25/24 AND THE WIND WAS 130 DEGS AT 19 KTS. WE TOLD THEM THEY SHOULD TURN THE ARPT AROUND. SOCAL SAID THEY COULDN'T DO THAT AND WE SHOULD ASK THE TWR IF WE HAD A PROB. AS WE WERE PASSED TO TWR AND LNDG CLRNC GIVEN, I ASKED WHY THEY HADN'T TURNED THE ARPT AROUND AND THE CTLR SAID HE DIDN'T HAVE THE PWR TO DO THAT BUT HAD BEEN TRYING ALL MORNING AND NO ONE WOULD LISTEN. THEY ASKED IF WE COULD COMPLETE THE LNDG. I RESPONDED 'STANDBY.' NEARING 1000 FT, I ASKED FOR A WIND CHK. TWR SAID '130 DEGS OR 140 DEGS AT 19 KTS.' BELOW 500 FT, I SAW THE WIND VECTOR WELL BEHIND THE WING AT 23 KTS. AT THIS POINT I CALLED 'GAR.' DURING THE GAR, TCASII SOUNDED AN ALERT. I COULD NOT SEE THE TFC UNTIL HE WAS NEAR DIRECT OVERHEAD. DURING ALL THE CONFUSION OF THE GAR AND THE TFC, WE RECEIVED 2 OR 3 VECTORS AFTER WHICH I ASKED TO MAKE SURE THESE WERE VECTORS FOR AN E RWY 6/7 LNDG AND THE TWR SAID, 'OH NO, WE ARE TAKING YOU AROUND FOR ANOTHER W LNDG.' I TOLD THEM I COULD NOT DO THAT AND THEY RESPONDED 'THE WINDS HAVE DIED DOWN.' AGAIN, I SAID I HAD TO LAND TO THE E. THEY SAID I WOULD HAVE TO HOLD AND I TOLD THEM I COULD DO THAT FOR ONLY A VERY SHORT TIME -- 3 OR 4 MINS. I TOLD THEM I WAS MINIMUM FUEL. THE NEXT CTLR ASKED IF I HAD AN EMER AND I SAID NO, BUT I DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO MESS AROUND. I NEEDED TO GET ON AN APCH NOW. HE SAID 'I AM DECLARING EMER FUEL FOR YOU, TURN R AND CALL THE ARPT IN SIGHT, CLRED TO LAND RWY 6R.' AS WE CALLED THE ARPT IN SIGHT WE COULD SEE TFC LNDG ON RWY 24L IN OUR FACE. WE WERE SWITCH TO RWY 6L. A VISUAL LNDG WAS COMPLETED. NO AIDS AVAILABLE AS WE TAXIED TO THE GATE, WE OBSERVED ALL ACFT TAKING OFF AND LNDG E.

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.