Narrative:

We were in VMC on left downwind for runway 17 at mco. We asked for a short approach to runway 17 and approach accommodated our request. We turned on base leg after receiving a 270 degree vector from approach. The sun was low in the southwest making it difficult to see clearly. We received clearance for he visibility approach to runway 17. Airport confign at mco is 17, 18L and 18R. We were familiar with the mco airport and the location of runway 17. While still on approach frequency, I had my head down in the cockpit trying to read the tower frequency for 17 to preselect on the communication radio. I was having difficulty seeing my approach plate with the sun shining in through the windshield. While my head was down we overshot the runway 17 final and were actually closer to the 18L final when approach called and said we had overshot the final for 17. Another aircraft was on final for 18L. We were about 1000' above and 1500' to the left of the other aircraft when we corrected our course and turned to rejoin the 17 final approach course. Lesson learned again. Don't have your head down at a critical time. Supplemental information from acn 166906. ILS for 17 was tuned in but at the time visibility was the way to go with traffic in the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OVERSHOT FINAL APCH COURSE AND ENTERED A CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT ON APCH TO A PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE IN VMC ON L DOWNWIND FOR RWY 17 AT MCO. WE ASKED FOR A SHORT APCH TO RWY 17 AND APCH ACCOMMODATED OUR REQUEST. WE TURNED ON BASE LEG AFTER RECEIVING A 270 DEG VECTOR FROM APCH. THE SUN WAS LOW IN THE SW MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO SEE CLRLY. WE RECEIVED CLRNC FOR HE VIS APCH TO RWY 17. ARPT CONFIGN AT MCO IS 17, 18L AND 18R. WE WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE MCO ARPT AND THE LOCATION OF RWY 17. WHILE STILL ON APCH FREQ, I HAD MY HEAD DOWN IN THE COCKPIT TRYING TO READ THE TWR FREQ FOR 17 TO PRESELECT ON THE COM RADIO. I WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING MY APCH PLATE WITH THE SUN SHINING IN THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD. WHILE MY HEAD WAS DOWN WE OVERSHOT THE RWY 17 FINAL AND WERE ACTUALLY CLOSER TO THE 18L FINAL WHEN APCH CALLED AND SAID WE HAD OVERSHOT THE FINAL FOR 17. ANOTHER ACFT WAS ON FINAL FOR 18L. WE WERE ABOUT 1000' ABOVE AND 1500' TO THE L OF THE OTHER ACFT WHEN WE CORRECTED OUR COURSE AND TURNED TO REJOIN THE 17 FINAL APCH COURSE. LESSON LEARNED AGAIN. DON'T HAVE YOUR HEAD DOWN AT A CRITICAL TIME. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 166906. ILS FOR 17 WAS TUNED IN BUT AT THE TIME VIS WAS THE WAY TO GO WITH TFC IN THE AREA.

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.