RPTR IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCOMMODATE A CTLR PREDICAMENT ACCEPTS A VISUAL APCH TO A RWY 24R. HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT ON DOWNWIND BUT WHEN TURNING INTO THE SUN THE HAZE AND STRATUS OBSCURED THE ARPT. THE CTLR OBSERVING THE RPTR OVERSHOOT THE FINAL TURN VECTORED HIM BACK ON COURSE.
Synopsis
RPTR IN AN ATTEMPT TO ACCOMMODATE A CTLR PREDICAMENT ACCEPTS A VISUAL APCH TO A RWY 24R. HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT ON DOWNWIND BUT WHEN TURNING INTO THE SUN THE HAZE AND STRATUS OBSCURED THE ARPT. THE CTLR OBSERVING THE RPTR OVERSHOOT THE FINAL TURN VECTORED HIM BACK ON COURSE.
Narrative
ARR INTO LAX FROM SMO HDG 070 DEGS DSNDING TO 2500 FT MSL. WX IS TYPICAL EVENING HAZE BEGINNING TO FORM AT 2500 FT BUT VFR THROUGH THE HAZE. AT ABOUT 5 DME E OF SMO I HEAR ATC GIVE MISSED APCH INSTRUCTIONS TO AN ACR. 'HDG 360 DEGS CLB TO 3500 FT.' THIS INTERESTS ME BECAUSE I AM DSNDING THROUGH 3500 FT AND AM N OF THE ARPT. ATC THEN ASKS IF I CAN TAKE THE VISUAL FROM MY PRESENT POS. OBVIOUSLY ATC IS TRYING TO WORK OUT A CONFLICT. THE VISUAL APCH W OF HARBOR FREEWAY WOULD BE HIGH BUT DO- ABLE. DUE TO TIME CONSTRAINTS AND MY FOCUS ON POTENTIAL PROB IN FRONT OF ME I DO NOT ASK THE FO IF HE CAN SEE THE ARPT (WE COULD SEE IT PREVIOUSLY). I ACCEPT THE VISUAL APCH; TURN TO PARALLEL HARBOR FREEWAY W. I CALL FOR GEAR AND PULL THE NOSE UP TO BEGIN SLOWING SO I CAN GO TO FULL FLAPS. SPD IS APPROX 200 KIAS. THEN I LOOK TOWARD THE ARPT. NOT ONLY IS THE ARPT OBSCURED BY THE SUN IN HAZY; BUT THE HAZY IS STARTING TO TURN CLOUDY. MY FIRST THOUGHT IS TO FIND THE RWY; NO; I CAN'T SEE IT THROUGH THE HAZY. THEN I'LL USE SMO 084 DEG RADIAL (STADIUM VISUAL) TO MAKE THE TURN TO FINAL FOR RWY 24R. BUT; I AM INSIDE HARBOR FREEWAY SO RADIAL WILL NOT BE CORRECT. THEN I THINK OF TELLING ATC OUR PROB; BUT THERE IS CONSTANT CHATTER ON FREQ; NO TIME TO WAIT FOR A BREAK FOR ATC HELP. I AM ON MY OWN. I CHK THE ADF AND NOTE IT IS ALMOST PARALLEL TO FINAL APCH. I START THE TURN BUT SHOOT THROUGH THE LOC. ATC NOTICES US AND CALLS A TURN TO AVOID FURTHER INCURSION INTO S RWY AND APCHS. I AM AT 45 DEG BANK; FLAPS 28 DEGS TO SLOW AND TIGHTEN RADIUS OF TURN. AFTER ROLLOUT ON FINAL AND BELOW HAZY LAYER; ARPT IS CLR AND WE LAND NORMALLY. THERE ARE LOTS OF POTENTIAL 'I COULD HAVE...' THE ONLY ONE THAT COUNTS IS TO TURN TO PARALLEL TO RWY 24R UNTIL GETTING BELOW THE HAZY LAYER. TO NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL COULD HAVE CAUSED FURTHER PROBS FOR ATC (WE MUST WORK TOGETHER TO MAKE THIS SYS WORK). THE CORE PROB IS THAT THERE ARE TOO MANY ACFT AND NOT ENOUGH ARPTS/RWYS. VISUAL APCHS ALLOW THE SYS TO WORK. THE TFC IS SO DENSE THAT ANY DISRUPTIONS IMMEDIATELY CAUSE OTHER DISRUPTIONS. IF ANYTHING GOES WRONG; IT ALL FALLS APART. THE REAL SOLUTION IS ENOUGH FACILITIES SO ATC AND PLTS AREN'T FORCED INTO THESE SITS. CHK YOUR FILES; I'LL BET MY SIT HAS OCCURRED BEFORE -- FREQUENTLY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE WAS FLYING AN MD80. WHEN ASKED WHAT HE WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY HE STATED HE WOULD TURN W AND THEN MOVE ON TO THE CTRLINE RATHER THAN PARALLEL THE HARBOR FREEWAY. THE RPTR DID NOT ENTERTAIN THE IDEA OF TELLING THE CTLR HE DID NOT HAVE THE ARPT IN SIGHT AND REQUEST AN ILS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.