B767-200 flight crew execute a go around at lax after runway change.

Attributes
ACN	724960
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Route In Use	approach : instrument precision
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : lax.tower
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	ground : taxi
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	274960
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : executed go around
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

Initial approach controller assigned ILS runway 24R; final controller changed clearance to visual runway 24L at about 2500 to 3000 ft on final tower cleared us to land on runway 24L at about a 3 mile final with an aircraft on runway. A second aircraft was cleared to cross downfield but did so slowly delaying takeoff clearance to aircraft in position. Aircraft that was in position became airborne as we were passing 1200 ft on final then incredibly tower clears another aircraft into position on runway 24L and tells us to land on runway 24R even though there was another aircraft just touching down on runway 24R. When it became clear that the preceding aircraft could not clear in time tower told us to go around. This occurred at about 500 ft. We went around and were re-sequenced for a normal landing on runway 24R. While I do not believe any regulations or SOP were violated (the last runway change occurred above 1000 ft on a clear night) this musical runways is flirting with disaster.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767-200 FLT CREW EXECUTE A GAR AT LAX AFTER RWY CHANGE.

Narrative: INITIAL APCH CTLR ASSIGNED ILS RWY 24R; FINAL CTLR CHANGED CLRNC TO VISUAL RWY 24L AT ABOUT 2500 TO 3000 FT ON FINAL TWR CLRED US TO LAND ON RWY 24L AT ABOUT A 3 MILE FINAL WITH AN ACFT ON RWY. A SECOND ACFT WAS CLRED TO CROSS DOWNFIELD BUT DID SO SLOWLY DELAYING TKOF CLRNC TO ACFT IN POSITION. ACFT THAT WAS IN POSITION BECAME AIRBORNE AS WE WERE PASSING 1200 FT ON FINAL THEN INCREDIBLY TWR CLRS ANOTHER ACFT INTO POSITION ON RWY 24L AND TELLS US TO LAND ON RWY 24R EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS ANOTHER ACFT JUST TOUCHING DOWN ON RWY 24R. WHEN IT BECAME CLR THAT THE PRECEDING ACFT COULD NOT CLR IN TIME TWR TOLD US TO GAR. THIS OCCURRED AT ABOUT 500 FT. WE WENT AROUND AND WERE RE-SEQUENCED FOR A NORMAL LNDG ON RWY 24R. WHILE I DO NOT BELIEVE ANY REGS OR SOP WERE VIOLATED (THE LAST RWY CHANGE OCCURRED ABOVE 1000 FT ON A CLR NIGHT) THIS MUSICAL RWYS IS FLIRTING WITH DISASTER.

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.