B737-700 crew was not sure they had approach clearance for runway 24R at lax.

Attributes
ACN	566122
Time
Date	200211
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : denay
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : hou.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : mitts
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 125 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 15000
ASRS Report	566122
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : company policies non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment : tcas other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airport Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Cleared the civet arrival, runway 25L. Socal approach cleared us direct to mitts for the mitts arrival, expect ILS runway 24R. We were also to maintain visual with an MD11, which was at 11 O'clock position, going to runway 25L. Approximately at mitts, we were parallel with the MD11. We still had a visual with MD11, but were receiving TCASII RA's. We pulled ahead of the MD11 and descended across jones above 9000 ft and crossed denay above 8000 ft. I remember having a frequency change to the final controller before reaching denay, mainly because he called us air carrier xx instead of air carrier xy. We passed denay, and since we were high, I used speed brakes and flaps to get slowed down and descend. The controller asked if we had the field in sight. We did, and then he cleared us for a visual. Being cleared for a visual was not unusual, but all of a sudden, I realized not remembering actually being cleared for the ILS runway 24R being descending out of 8000 ft inside of denay. Approach and landing were uneventful. At the gate, I asked the first officer if he remembered an ILS runway 24R approach clearance and he could not specifically remember that either. I called socal approach by phone, but the controller I talked with was not aware of any problems. I apologized anyway and hung up. I'm not sure if we did or did not have clearance and if we didn't, whether anybody noticed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW WAS NOT SURE THEY HAD APCH CLRNC FOR RWY 24R AT LAX.

Narrative: CLRED THE CIVET ARR, RWY 25L. SOCAL APCH CLRED US DIRECT TO MITTS FOR THE MITTS ARR, EXPECT ILS RWY 24R. WE WERE ALSO TO MAINTAIN VISUAL WITH AN MD11, WHICH WAS AT 11 O'CLOCK POS, GOING TO RWY 25L. APPROX AT MITTS, WE WERE PARALLEL WITH THE MD11. WE STILL HAD A VISUAL WITH MD11, BUT WERE RECEIVING TCASII RA'S. WE PULLED AHEAD OF THE MD11 AND DSNDED ACROSS JONES ABOVE 9000 FT AND CROSSED DENAY ABOVE 8000 FT. I REMEMBER HAVING A FREQ CHANGE TO THE FINAL CTLR BEFORE REACHING DENAY, MAINLY BECAUSE HE CALLED US ACR XX INSTEAD OF ACR XY. WE PASSED DENAY, AND SINCE WE WERE HIGH, I USED SPD BRAKES AND FLAPS TO GET SLOWED DOWN AND DSND. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT. WE DID, AND THEN HE CLRED US FOR A VISUAL. BEING CLRED FOR A VISUAL WAS NOT UNUSUAL, BUT ALL OF A SUDDEN, I REALIZED NOT REMEMBERING ACTUALLY BEING CLRED FOR THE ILS RWY 24R BEING DSNDING OUT OF 8000 FT INSIDE OF DENAY. APCH AND LNDG WERE UNEVENTFUL. AT THE GATE, I ASKED THE FO IF HE REMEMBERED AN ILS RWY 24R APCH CLRNC AND HE COULD NOT SPECIFICALLY REMEMBER THAT EITHER. I CALLED SOCAL APCH BY PHONE, BUT THE CTLR I TALKED WITH WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY PROBS. I APOLOGIZED ANYWAY AND HUNG UP. I'M NOT SURE IF WE DID OR DID NOT HAVE CLRNC AND IF WE DIDN'T, WHETHER ANYBODY NOTICED.

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.