B757 captain landing lax expressed frustration regarding clearance changes by both ZLA and sct.

Attributes
ACN	631538
Time
Date	200409
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sct.tracon
State Reference	CA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 25l & 25r
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : roll
Route In Use	arrival star : civet
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	631538
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

In the course of arrival to lax, originally filed to civet, civet STAR. Changed to direct tnp pdz arrival. Back to direct civet direct lax. Not cleared for civet. Prior to civet requested further clearance. Initially given pdz. When questioned, ATC said civet arrival limited to 14000 ft MSL on profile. Slowed to 280 KIAS after told to maintain mach .82 and 320 KIAS. Aircraft passed underneath us cleared again via civet, now 2000-3000 ft high on profile. Approaching fuglor, still not cleared for approach. Asked controller for clearance. Given an ILS runway 25L with speed assignments to 210 KTS then 180 KIAS. Asked to identify aircraft not visible due to our high altitude and background lights. 1500 ft AGL asked to switch to runway 25R. Accepted. Got on ground. Tower hesitated on where to turn us after near stop on runway. They realize another inbound aircraft had medical emergency, but all this nonsense on day 4 at night was too over the top.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CAPT LNDG LAX EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION REGARDING CLRNC CHANGES BY BOTH ZLA AND SCT.

Narrative: IN THE COURSE OF ARR TO LAX, ORIGINALLY FILED TO CIVET, CIVET STAR. CHANGED TO DIRECT TNP PDZ ARR. BACK TO DIRECT CIVET DIRECT LAX. NOT CLRED FOR CIVET. PRIOR TO CIVET REQUESTED FURTHER CLRNC. INITIALLY GIVEN PDZ. WHEN QUESTIONED, ATC SAID CIVET ARR LIMITED TO 14000 FT MSL ON PROFILE. SLOWED TO 280 KIAS AFTER TOLD TO MAINTAIN MACH .82 AND 320 KIAS. ACFT PASSED UNDERNEATH US CLRED AGAIN VIA CIVET, NOW 2000-3000 FT HIGH ON PROFILE. APCHING FUGLOR, STILL NOT CLRED FOR APCH. ASKED CTLR FOR CLRNC. GIVEN AN ILS RWY 25L WITH SPD ASSIGNMENTS TO 210 KTS THEN 180 KIAS. ASKED TO IDENT ACFT NOT VISIBLE DUE TO OUR HIGH ALT AND BACKGROUND LIGHTS. 1500 FT AGL ASKED TO SWITCH TO RWY 25R. ACCEPTED. GOT ON GND. TWR HESITATED ON WHERE TO TURN US AFTER NEAR STOP ON RWY. THEY REALIZE ANOTHER INBOUND ACFT HAD MEDICAL EMER, BUT ALL THIS NONSENSE ON DAY 4 AT NIGHT WAS TOO OVER THE TOP.

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.