What happened
Japan Airlines Flight 62, operating a Boeing 747 with registration JA-8163, was conducting an instrument approach into Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) under reduced visibility caused by haze. Air traffic control initially vectored the aircraft for an ILS approach to Runway 24R. As the flight prepared to turn final, controllers advised them of another aircraft four miles ahead. The crew reported having that aircraft in sight and was subsequently cleared for a visual approach to Runway 24R.
After switching to tower frequency, the controller instructed Flight 62 to change to Runway 24L and land. The crew acknowledged this instruction. However, the controller noticed the aircraft was tracking to the right of the correct course and asked the crew to verify if the runway was in sight. The crew replied that the runway was not visible and continued descending on an inbound heading.
The tower controller informed the flight they would need to turn southbound and then instructed them to "turn left 10 degrees." When the aircraft was approximately three-quarters of a mile east and one mile north of the runway threshold, at an altitude between 700 and 800 feet, the crew executed an abrupt left turn to align with the runway. This maneuver involved turning from a heading of 240 degrees to 175 degrees, followed by a subsequent right turn to correct the alignment. The aircraft rolled out of this turn just before touching down on the runway.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of communications and the flight path during the final phase of the approach. Key findings included the crew's inability to visually acquire the runway despite being cleared for a visual approach, leading to confusion regarding the correct runway alignment. The abrupt control inputs made by the crew at low altitude were identified as the primary mechanical factor in the incident.
Findings
Contributing factors included the reduced visibility due to haze, which hindered the crew's ability to maintain visual contact with the runway and the preceding aircraft. The change in runway assignment from 24R to 24L added complexity to the approach. The crew's decision to make a sharp heading correction at a low altitude resulted in a dangerous overcorrection that nearly compromised the safety of the landing.