Narrative:

Aircraft cleared to back course localizer FAF (south of airport) from intersection north of airport. Captain was flying and continued direct to VOR which is 7 mi west of the localizer (localizer bearing 174 degrees front course). As first officer, I advised the captain repeatedly that we were west of the localizer and needed to turn east (hrl approach has no radar). The captain remained confused and executed several north and south passes to the west of the localizer. I kept approach control informed of our position and altitude and direction in order to avoid a conflict. Finally I was able to talk the captain through the procedure and a normal final approach and landing was made. The captain later apologized and said he had thought the VOR was on the field, in spite of the fact that I told him 3 times it was 7 mi west. The approach chart for this back course does not depict the VOR. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter stated that clearance to fly raymo transition which does not appear on the back course approach plate came slightly late and by time ILS tuned in had already gone through localizer. Stated could not get PF to turn left to intercept localizer, then saw PF had set in back course heading in dci, so was getting reverse sensing which probably also helped disorient the PF. Also thinks perhaps the symbol for localizer DME on the back course approach plate may have been why PF thought VOR was located on airport. PNF did keep approach advised of their position at all times and finally they gave him clearance to vector the PF to final approach course. Stated flew with the PF all month and was only time he had a problem and as a good pilot, so could not understand how PF got fixated on going to VOR. Suggested it would be a good idea to have VOR depicted on back course approach plate as is done on front course approach plate. Also feels air carrier should give training on operation in non radar environment since almost all pilots are not familiar with the operation having been spoon-fed for so many yrs and have not operated in non tower radar environment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK DEVIATION ON APCH WHEN PF BECAME DISORIENTED.

Narrative: ACFT CLRED TO BACK COURSE LOC FAF (S OF ARPT) FROM INTXN N OF ARPT. CAPT WAS FLYING AND CONTINUED DIRECT TO VOR WHICH IS 7 MI W OF THE LOC (LOC BEARING 174 DEGS FRONT COURSE). AS F/O, I ADVISED THE CAPT REPEATEDLY THAT WE WERE W OF THE LOC AND NEEDED TO TURN E (HRL APCH HAS NO RADAR). THE CAPT REMAINED CONFUSED AND EXECUTED SEVERAL N AND S PASSES TO THE W OF THE LOC. I KEPT APCH CTL INFORMED OF OUR POS AND ALT AND DIRECTION IN ORDER TO AVOID A CONFLICT. FINALLY I WAS ABLE TO TALK THE CAPT THROUGH THE PROC AND A NORMAL FINAL APCH AND LNDG WAS MADE. THE CAPT LATER APOLOGIZED AND SAID HE HAD THOUGHT THE VOR WAS ON THE FIELD, IN SPITE OF THE FACT THAT I TOLD HIM 3 TIMES IT WAS 7 MI W. THE APCH CHART FOR THIS BACK COURSE DOES NOT DEPICT THE VOR. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATED THAT CLRNC TO FLY RAYMO TRANSITION WHICH DOES NOT APPEAR ON THE BACK COURSE APCH PLATE CAME SLIGHTLY LATE AND BY TIME ILS TUNED IN HAD ALREADY GONE THROUGH LOC. STATED COULD NOT GET PF TO TURN LEFT TO INTERCEPT LOC, THEN SAW PF HAD SET IN BACK COURSE HDG IN DCI, SO WAS GETTING REVERSE SENSING WHICH PROBABLY ALSO HELPED DISORIENT THE PF. ALSO THINKS PERHAPS THE SYMBOL FOR LOC DME ON THE BACK COURSE APCH PLATE MAY HAVE BEEN WHY PF THOUGHT VOR WAS LOCATED ON ARPT. PNF DID KEEP APCH ADVISED OF THEIR POS AT ALL TIMES AND FINALLY THEY GAVE HIM CLRNC TO VECTOR THE PF TO FINAL APCH COURSE. STATED FLEW WITH THE PF ALL MONTH AND WAS ONLY TIME HE HAD A PROB AND AS A GOOD PLT, SO COULD NOT UNDERSTAND HOW PF GOT FIXATED ON GOING TO VOR. SUGGESTED IT WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA TO HAVE VOR DEPICTED ON BACK COURSE APCH PLATE AS IS DONE ON FRONT COURSE APCH PLATE. ALSO FEELS ACR SHOULD GIVE TRAINING ON OPERATION IN NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT SINCE ALMOST ALL PLTS ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE OPERATION HAVING BEEN SPOON-FED FOR SO MANY YRS AND HAVE NOT OPERATED IN NON TWR RADAR ENVIRONMENT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.