MD11 crew was assigned 4 different runways going into lax.

Attributes
ACN	633708
Time
Date	200410
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : lax.tower tower : dvt.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-11
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 6r other
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision 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 : 200 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	633708
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : lax.tower procedure or policy : sct.tracon

Narrative:

4 different runway assignments. Lax ATIS advertised runway 6L, runway 7L, and runway 7R with runway 6R closed. Due to noise complaints, I considered runway 7R as the least likely option to be offered by tower. On descent into lax, we were led to expect runway 6L. Center asked for a maximum forward speed descent, which we complied with. On handoff to approach control, we were assigned runway 7L. South the GS became active, we were assigned runway 6R. Just as we intercepted runway 6R and stabilized on GS, we were asked if we could see runway 7R. Runway 7R was in sight and we accepted the visual. As we came closer to the shoreline, visibility declined to MVFR. During this entire process, the first officer was heads down trying to punch in all of the changes into the FMS. There comes a point where ATC becomes the primary hazard with numerous last min changes and total lack of a rational plan for handling traffic. Last min changes seem to be the norm at lax.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 CREW WAS ASSIGNED 4 DIFFERENT RWYS GOING INTO LAX.

Narrative: 4 DIFFERENT RWY ASSIGNMENTS. LAX ATIS ADVERTISED RWY 6L, RWY 7L, AND RWY 7R WITH RWY 6R CLOSED. DUE TO NOISE COMPLAINTS, I CONSIDERED RWY 7R AS THE LEAST LIKELY OPTION TO BE OFFERED BY TWR. ON DSCNT INTO LAX, WE WERE LED TO EXPECT RWY 6L. CTR ASKED FOR A MAX FORWARD SPD DSCNT, WHICH WE COMPLIED WITH. ON HDOF TO APCH CTL, WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY 7L. S THE GS BECAME ACTIVE, WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY 6R. JUST AS WE INTERCEPTED RWY 6R AND STABILIZED ON GS, WE WERE ASKED IF WE COULD SEE RWY 7R. RWY 7R WAS IN SIGHT AND WE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL. AS WE CAME CLOSER TO THE SHORELINE, VISIBILITY DECLINED TO MVFR. DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, THE FO WAS HEADS DOWN TRYING TO PUNCH IN ALL OF THE CHANGES INTO THE FMS. THERE COMES A POINT WHERE ATC BECOMES THE PRIMARY HAZARD WITH NUMEROUS LAST MIN CHANGES AND TOTAL LACK OF A RATIONAL PLAN FOR HANDLING TFC. LAST MIN CHANGES SEEM TO BE THE NORM AT LAX.

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.