B777 flight crew indicates that socal's request to maintain 3500 ft and to 'keep the speed up' to hu...

Attributes
ACN	667624
Time
Date	200508
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3200 msl bound upper : 3500
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon tower : msp.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	ils localizer & glide slope : 25l
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	667624
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Airspace Structure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : sct.tracon

Narrative:

The approach design for the ILS runway 25L at lax; pg 11-7; is set up for an incident or accident resulting from not being stabilized on final approach. The caution on pg 10-7W states; 'do not fly ILS runway 25L GS prior to reaching the GS symbol (feather).' a look at the profile view of the approach leads one to believe that it is not a problem to comply with the caution. Just simply maintain 3500 ft until hunda; then descend to 3200 ft and intercept the GS. It is not clearly evident; however; that the 3.0 degree GS; if extended at 300 ft per mile from limma; intersects hunda at 3400 ft. If the aircraft makes a 'normal' descent rate after hunda; either VNAV or flight lvl chg; and captures 3200 ft it is not possible to reach the GS from above without forcing the aircraft to descend at an abnormally high rate. This is further aggravated by the typical request by ATC to keep the speed up on the arrival until hunda. To my knowledge; this is the only airport in the system where you have to capture the GS of an ILS approach from above. This is extraordinarily unusual; but there is no mention of this fact on the approach diagram. For those of us who do not regularly fly into lax; I believe this is a very serious trap that could have disastrous consequences.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 FLT CREW INDICATES THAT SOCAL'S REQUEST TO MAINTAIN 3500 FT AND TO 'KEEP THE SPD UP' TO HUNDA INTXN; THEN DSND TO CAPTURE THE GS WHEN EXECUTING THE LAX RWY 25 ILS PROMOTES AN UNSTABILIZED APCH AND IS UNSAFE.

Narrative: THE APCH DESIGN FOR THE ILS RWY 25L AT LAX; PG 11-7; IS SET UP FOR AN INCIDENT OR ACCIDENT RESULTING FROM NOT BEING STABILIZED ON FINAL APCH. THE CAUTION ON PG 10-7W STATES; 'DO NOT FLY ILS RWY 25L GS PRIOR TO REACHING THE GS SYMBOL (FEATHER).' A LOOK AT THE PROFILE VIEW OF THE APCH LEADS ONE TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS NOT A PROBLEM TO COMPLY WITH THE CAUTION. JUST SIMPLY MAINTAIN 3500 FT UNTIL HUNDA; THEN DSND TO 3200 FT AND INTERCEPT THE GS. IT IS NOT CLEARLY EVIDENT; HOWEVER; THAT THE 3.0 DEG GS; IF EXTENDED AT 300 FT PER MILE FROM LIMMA; INTERSECTS HUNDA AT 3400 FT. IF THE ACFT MAKES A 'NORMAL' DSCNT RATE AFTER HUNDA; EITHER VNAV OR FLT LVL CHG; AND CAPTURES 3200 FT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO REACH THE GS FROM ABOVE WITHOUT FORCING THE ACFT TO DSND AT AN ABNORMALLY HIGH RATE. THIS IS FURTHER AGGRAVATED BY THE TYPICAL REQUEST BY ATC TO KEEP THE SPD UP ON THE ARR UNTIL HUNDA. TO MY KNOWLEDGE; THIS IS THE ONLY ARPT IN THE SYSTEM WHERE YOU HAVE TO CAPTURE THE GS OF AN ILS APCH FROM ABOVE. THIS IS EXTRAORDINARILY UNUSUAL; BUT THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS FACT ON THE APCH DIAGRAM. FOR THOSE OF US WHO DO NOT REGULARLY FLY INTO LAX; I BELIEVE THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS TRAP THAT COULD HAVE DISASTROUS CONSEQUENCES.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

B777 flight crew indicates that socal's request to maintain 3500 ft and to 'keep the speed up' to hunda intersection; then descend to capture the GS when executing the lax runway 25 ILS promotes an unstabilized approach and is unsafe.