SIGHTED TFC LOST ON VISUAL APCH TO RWY 24R AT LAX. HDG TRACK DEV.

Narrative

CLRED TO 4500 FT AFTER PASSING OVER SMO VOR AT 7000 FT; 070 DEG HDG. CONDITIONS WERE LATE DUSK; CHARACTERISTIC INVERSION/HAZE LAYER OVER LOS ANGELES BASIN AT APPROX 3500 FT; BUT VISIBILITY APPEARED TO BE AS ADVERTIZED ON ATIS; APPROX 5 MI. ON DOWNWIND HDG FOR RWY 24R; NUMEROUS ACFT SIGHTED ON FINALS FOR RWYS 24 AND 25 ABOVE HAZE LAYER. ADVISED BY CTLR THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING 'HVY 757' AT 2 O'CLOCK. IN DIMINISHED LIGHT CONDITIONS; HAD LIGHTS OF ACFT IN THAT VICINITY AND CALLED 'IN SIGHT.' CTLR SEEMED MOST ANXIOUS TO DUMP US OFF FOR VISUAL TO RWY 24R BEHIND 757 AND DID SO. TURNED BASE TO ABOUT 180 DEG HDG; 180 KIAS; CONFIGURED AT FLAPS 5; CLRED TO 2500 FT TO INTERCEPT FINAL. ACFT PRESUMED TO BE 757 DISAPPEARED AS IT WENT ABEAM AND INTO HAZE LAYER. TRIED TO ADVISE CTLR BUT UNABLE TO GET COM IN. AT THIS TIME; DSNDING THROUGH APPROX 3500 FT; RECEIVED TCASII RA 'INCREASE DSCNT.' DISPLAY SHOWED CONFLICT AT L 9 TO 8 O'CLOCK; INCREASED DSCNT. CREW ATTN DIVERTED TO RA; ATTEMPTS TO REACQUIRE 757 AND ATTEMPTS TO RECONTACT CTLR; STAYED TOO LONG ON BASE LEG; OVERSHOT FINAL RWY 24R LOC. VISUALLY ACQUIRED RWY 24R; N COMPLEX OF LAX; CORRECTED TO CTRLINE; CONTINUED NORMAL APCH TO LNDG. NEVER VISUALLY ACQUIRED TFC CONFLICT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: DIVERSION OF ATTN FROM NAV DUE TO RA; LOSS OF VISUAL ON 757 DUE TO METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS; CTLR OVERLOAD. I WONDER IF RECENT CHANGE TO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME WAS OVERLOOKED BY CTLR AS TO WHAT CONDITIONS CREWS WERE IN.