VISUAL APCH ASSIGNMENT TO THE W OF LAX; CA; WITH RPTED VISIBILITY OF 5 MI TURNS OUT TO BE LESS IN THE HAZE LAYER WITH THE SUN POS A FACTOR.

Date: 2000-07 · Aircraft: Gulfstream I (Large Turboprop) · Phase: approach

Anomalies: conflict-airborne-conflict|deviation-track-heading-all-types|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-clearance|deviation-discrepancy-procedural-published-material-policy|inflight-event-encounter-other-unknown|other-visiability-restriction

Synopsis

VISUAL APCH ASSIGNMENT TO THE W OF LAX; CA; WITH RPTED VISIBILITY OF 5 MI TURNS OUT TO BE LESS IN THE HAZE LAYER WITH THE SUN POS A FACTOR.

Narrative

WE WERE ON A REPOSITIONING FLT FROM BUR TO LAX. WE FOLLOWED STANDARD INST PROCS; WHEN WE WERE PLACED ON VECTORS FOR RWY 24R AT AN ALT OF 3000 FT. WE WERE ASKED IF WE SAW AN ACFT ENRTE TO THE SAME RWY. WE SAID YES; AND WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE GND VISIBILITY WAS RPTED AS 5 MI. THE INFLT VISIBILITY; INTO THE SUN; SEEMED TO BE A LOT LESS. AS THE CAPT NOT FLYING WAS SETTING UP RADIOS; SO AS NOT TO LOSE THE ACFT; I KEPT HIM IN SIGHT. AS WE BEGAN TO HALL IN BEHIND THE TFC; THE TWR TOLD US WE WERE DRIFTING TO THE L SIDE. THE TWR THEN TOLD US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN. SINCE I DIDN'T HAVE THE PROPER RWY IN SIGHT AND THE CAPT SAID HE HAD IT; I GAVE HIM THE CTLS. HE MADE THE PROPER CORRECTIONS WITH A LNDG ON RWY 24R. AFTER LNDG WE RECEIVED A NUMBER TO CALL. THE CAPT CALLED AND DISCUSSED WHAT HAPPENED; AND IT WAS AGREED THAT THE INFLT VISIBILITY WAS NOT CONDUCIVE FOR A VISUAL APCH. THE CTLR INDICATED THAT BECAUSE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO THEIR INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOLLOWED AND BECAUSE NO TFC CONFLICTS OCCURRED; THAT NO RPT WOULD BE FILED. WE REALIZE THE FLC SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED THE CTLR IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH OUR TFC AS WE DSNDED THROUGH THE HAZE.

Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.