Narrative:

Ny approach was giving us radar vectors for isp ILS runway 6 from the south. We were given a heading of 360 (I think) to intercept the 058 degree course inbound at 1800'. I mistakenly never reset my HSI course to 058 degree so it was left at 036 degree from a previous clearance. So when the localizer came alive with the autoplt on, it started to intercept but the course went right through and the autoplt flew a heading of 020 degree. I reset the heading bug to a 055 degree heading thinking it would intercept. Then ny approach told us to fly heading 090 degree to intercept. I noticed at this time that 090 degree put me direct to the LOM. Once the course came alive again (heading 090 degree thinking I had to turn to 036 degree) I quickly turned back to 035 degree and lost the course again. Then I realized I had the course set wrong and also noticed I was at 1600' (assigned 1800' until established) even though I was on G/south. I fixed my course to 058 degree and turned to correct while at the same time the ny approach controller yelled/asked if we had the airport. We saw it and called it in sight. He cleared us for the visibility and we proceeded west/O incident to land. I feel the main cause was that I did not set the inbound course on the localizer properly. Contributing factors was that my first officer was brand new. This was his first line flight. I was distraction watching him and making sure he was doing his duties at the time, lowering approach flaps, lowering gear and doing the before landing check. Also his inexperience putting all his concentration on doing PNF duties and not keeping an eye on what was going on to catch my mistake contributed. I think he may have also completely trusted me to intercept the localizer and didn't monitor it. He had the proper course twisted in but may have felt he was not to touch/set my course in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INEXPERIENCED COMMUTER FLT CREW COMMITS HEADING AND ALT DEVIATIONS ON APCH TO ISP.

Narrative: NY APCH WAS GIVING US RADAR VECTORS FOR ISP ILS RWY 6 FROM THE S. WE WERE GIVEN A HDG OF 360 (I THINK) TO INTERCEPT THE 058 DEG COURSE INBND AT 1800'. I MISTAKENLY NEVER RESET MY HSI COURSE TO 058 DEG SO IT WAS L AT 036 DEG FROM A PREVIOUS CLRNC. SO WHEN THE LOC CAME ALIVE WITH THE AUTOPLT ON, IT STARTED TO INTERCEPT BUT THE COURSE WENT R THROUGH AND THE AUTOPLT FLEW A HDG OF 020 DEG. I RESET THE HDG BUG TO A 055 DEG HDG THINKING IT WOULD INTERCEPT. THEN NY APCH TOLD US TO FLY HDG 090 DEG TO INTERCEPT. I NOTICED AT THIS TIME THAT 090 DEG PUT ME DIRECT TO THE LOM. ONCE THE COURSE CAME ALIVE AGAIN (HDG 090 DEG THINKING I HAD TO TURN TO 036 DEG) I QUICKLY TURNED BACK TO 035 DEG AND LOST THE COURSE AGAIN. THEN I REALIZED I HAD THE COURSE SET WRONG AND ALSO NOTICED I WAS AT 1600' (ASSIGNED 1800' UNTIL ESTABLISHED) EVEN THOUGH I WAS ON G/S. I FIXED MY COURSE TO 058 DEG AND TURNED TO CORRECT WHILE AT THE SAME TIME THE NY APCH CTLR YELLED/ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT. WE SAW IT AND CALLED IT IN SIGHT. HE CLRED US FOR THE VIS AND WE PROCEEDED W/O INCIDENT TO LAND. I FEEL THE MAIN CAUSE WAS THAT I DID NOT SET THE INBND COURSE ON THE LOC PROPERLY. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WAS THAT MY F/O WAS BRAND NEW. THIS WAS HIS FIRST LINE FLT. I WAS DISTR WATCHING HIM AND MAKING SURE HE WAS DOING HIS DUTIES AT THE TIME, LOWERING APCH FLAPS, LOWERING GEAR AND DOING THE BEFORE LNDG CHK. ALSO HIS INEXPERIENCE PUTTING ALL HIS CONCENTRATION ON DOING PNF DUTIES AND NOT KEEPING AN EYE ON WHAT WAS GOING ON TO CATCH MY MISTAKE CONTRIBUTED. I THINK HE MAY HAVE ALSO COMPLETELY TRUSTED ME TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND DIDN'T MONITOR IT. HE HAD THE PROPER COURSE TWISTED IN BUT MAY HAVE FELT HE WAS NOT TO TOUCH/SET MY COURSE IN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.