Narrative:

While being vectored to final; ATC gave us an intercept heading with clearance to intercept the localizer course. The PF (pilot flying) instructed me to arm the localizer. I responded that we needed to be in navigation before arming the localizer because of the strong overshooting winds (42 knots at 4;000 ft MSL). PF selected navigation and then I armed the localizer for him as he commanded a clean up item for the FMS. I saw that navigation/localizer had both armed and went heads down to clean up the FMS. After cleaning up the FMS; I looked up to see the airplane starting a left-hand turn away from the runway and immediately instructed the PF to turn back towards the runway. I also glanced at the pfd and noticed we were now in heading mode (no navigation or localizer armed/selected). The result was an overshoot of the final approach course. I instructed him to be aggressive in getting back over to final as we received a follow-on intercept heading from ATC. I saw no conflicts on the TCAS. Selecting navigation and then localizer was indeed needed; but the FMS needed to be cleaned up prior to selecting these modes. By selecting them first and then cleaning up the FMS; I may have inadvertently put us in heading. Also; the first officer needed to monitor our lateral mode and be ready for any reversions or changes to that mode. When the plane attempts to do something we don't want it to do; the PF needs to turn the autopilot off immediately and put the airplane in the correct position.as pm; I should have instructed the PF to begin his turn to final instead of going heads down to clean up the FMS or instructing him which modes to select; then debrief later. FMS clean up should take place well before the intercept to final and as PF; I should have been more aggressive in making that happen earlier. Anytime I see a strong overshooting wind to parallel runways; I instruct the PF to select navigation then localizer for the intercept. I will always instruct them to do it now for every intercept; regardless of winds or runway configuration.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD11 flight crew overshot the LOC course due to strong crosswind and FMS being in heading mode.

Narrative: While being vectored to final; ATC gave us an intercept heading with clearance to intercept the localizer course. The PF (Pilot Flying) instructed me to arm the localizer. I responded that we needed to be in NAV before arming the localizer because of the strong overshooting winds (42 knots at 4;000 FT MSL). PF selected NAV and then I armed the localizer for him as he commanded a clean up item for the FMS. I saw that NAV/LOC had both armed and went heads down to clean up the FMS. After cleaning up the FMS; I looked up to see the airplane starting a left-hand turn away from the runway and immediately instructed the PF to turn back towards the runway. I also glanced at the PFD and noticed we were now in heading mode (no NAV or LOC armed/selected). The result was an overshoot of the final approach course. I instructed him to be aggressive in getting back over to final as we received a follow-on intercept heading from ATC. I saw no conflicts on the TCAS. Selecting NAV and then LOC was indeed needed; but the FMS needed to be cleaned up prior to selecting these modes. By selecting them first and then cleaning up the FMS; I may have inadvertently put us in heading. Also; the FO needed to monitor our lateral mode and be ready for any reversions or changes to that mode. When the plane attempts to do something we don't want it to do; the PF needs to turn the autopilot off immediately and put the airplane in the correct position.As PM; I should have instructed the PF to begin his turn to final instead of going heads down to clean up the FMS or instructing him which modes to select; then debrief later. FMS clean up should take place well before the intercept to final and as PF; I should have been more aggressive in making that happen earlier. Anytime I see a strong overshooting wind to parallel runways; I instruct the PF to select NAV then LOC for the intercept. I will always instruct them to do it now for every intercept; regardless of winds or runway configuration.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.