Narrative:

While descending and being vectored to the final approach course at phl, the first officer, who has practically no multi-engine or instrument experience other than the basic ratings, was flying the aircraft with the autoplt. Just prior to intercepting the localizer, the F/a called me on the interphone to complain that the chime signals in the cabin where not loud enough. In the 60 seconds that it took me to assure her that the chimes were operating correctly, the copilot flew the aircraft through the localizer on a 050 heading. I brought it to his attention and the approach controller cleared us to make an immediate left-hand turn to a heading of 180. The copilot started to turn right to the 180 degree heading. I disconnected the autoplt and hand flew the airplane left to a heading of 180 degree whereupon we were cleared for the approach and subsequent landing. Had the copilot continued right, we would have conflicted with other traffic on the approach. We need people that have some experience in instrument conditions in fairly complex aircraft in these northeast airports. What we are getting at company commuter is people with the ratings and no experience. Our turnover rate is so high that these pilots don't stay long enough to get any experience. If the parent company would institute some sort of flow through procedure to the main line, the turnover rate would practically cease and new hire applicant qualifications would increase considerably.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER MDT DEVIATED FROM CLRNC ROUTE. TRACK HEADING DEVIATION DURING VECTORS TO PHL ILS RWY 9.

Narrative: WHILE DESCENDING AND BEING VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE AT PHL, THE F/O, WHO HAS PRACTICALLY NO MULTI-ENGINE OR INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE OTHER THAN THE BASIC RATINGS, WAS FLYING THE ACFT WITH THE AUTOPLT. JUST PRIOR TO INTERCEPTING THE LOC, THE F/A CALLED ME ON THE INTERPHONE TO COMPLAIN THAT THE CHIME SIGNALS IN THE CABIN WHERE NOT LOUD ENOUGH. IN THE 60 SECONDS THAT IT TOOK ME TO ASSURE HER THAT THE CHIMES WERE OPERATING CORRECTLY, THE COPLT FLEW THE ACFT THROUGH THE LOC ON A 050 HDG. I BROUGHT IT TO HIS ATTN AND THE APCH CTLR CLRED US TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE LEFT-HAND TURN TO A HDG OF 180. THE COPLT STARTED TO TURN RIGHT TO THE 180 DEG HDG. I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLEW THE AIRPLANE LEFT TO A HDG OF 180 DEG WHEREUPON WE WERE CLRED FOR THE APCH AND SUBSEQUENT LNDG. HAD THE COPLT CONTINUED RIGHT, WE WOULD HAVE CONFLICTED WITH OTHER TFC ON THE APCH. WE NEED PEOPLE THAT HAVE SOME EXPERIENCE IN INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS IN FAIRLY COMPLEX ACFT IN THESE NE ARPTS. WHAT WE ARE GETTING AT COMPANY COMMUTER IS PEOPLE WITH THE RATINGS AND NO EXPERIENCE. OUR TURNOVER RATE IS SO HIGH THAT THESE PLTS DON'T STAY LONG ENOUGH TO GET ANY EXPERIENCE. IF THE PARENT COMPANY WOULD INSTITUTE SOME SORT OF FLOW THROUGH PROC TO THE MAIN LINE, THE TURNOVER RATE WOULD PRACTICALLY CEASE AND NEW HIRE APPLICANT QUALIFICATIONS WOULD INCREASE CONSIDERABLY.

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.