Narrative:

We had a short flight abq-saf in mixed conditions (solid IMC above 2000-3000 ft AGL. We requested vectors on DME arc for ILS 2. Center did not advise what to expect until about 17 DME. (DME arc is 12 DME). We were on the saf 215 degree radial inbound (localizer inbound is 213 degrees). We were then given a heading of 015 degree for the approach. I had the approach set up in the radios and flight displays (ehsi). However, I had my ehsi accidentally coupled to the #2 navigation, which was set to the saf VOR, thinking I was coupled to the #1 navigation which was set to the ILS. At just outside the 12 DME, I requested to join the arc (because I showed a deflection to the right, and was being vectored to the left). I was cleared to do so, and turned immediately to the right (the wrong direction). The controller amended my clearance to maintain 11000 ft for terrain and advised I was going away from the localizer. At that time, I broke out into the clear, canceled IFR, went in VFR, and realized what had happened. I believe a closer look at the approach and what radial I was on, would have helped. In addition, I should rechk the receiver the ehsi is coupled to, when switching. (I had preset it in the preselect mode.) my normal procedure for en route is to set #1 in active and #2 in preselect, for intersection identify ). On approachs, I generally do the reciprocal. This time, I had a brain fart and set it up the wrong way. Supplemental information from acn 293166: I was on the radios and working the checklists and had pointed out the fact that this heading was going to work great for intercepting the ILS course. I feel, however, that the captain was not fully aware of this and thought we were on a more perpendicular intercept. The controller then told us to expect the ILS via the vector we were on. The controller then cleared us for the approach at about 12 DME from saf VOR (which is 3 mi from field). We were assigned 9000 ft until established on the localizer. Then, at 11.1 DME, the captain keyed the microphone and asked for the arc (which is a 12 DME arc). The controller hesitated for a moment, then cleared us for the arc. Being as surprised as the controller, I reminded the captain that we were already inside 11 mi. (I did not mention the fact that the vector we were on had us to where we crossed the arc at the lead radial for the turn inbound, which is why I was so surprised at his request.) when I advised him of our DME range, he immediately banked right to intercept the arc while not realizing that we were already flying through the localizer course. He quickly joined the arc and looked at his display to see when the localizer course would come alive. He then realized he only had the VOR up on his display and immediately flipped the switch while telling me to 'join him on the localizer.' almost simultaneously, ZAB asked us to report our position and asked us if we were aware how far right of course we were. They then told us not to descend below 9000 ft for terrain clearance. We then broke out and the captain told me to cancel the IFR and we landed without incident. I feel this type of incident could be avoided with better crew coordination. I personally feel this captain used a 'single pilot' attitude and would have had better situational awareness if he allowed me to assist him. I, on the other hand, could have been more assertive in the process and expressed my point of view more clearly.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT TURNS THE WRONG WAY WHEN CLRED FOR THE APCH.

Narrative: WE HAD A SHORT FLT ABQ-SAF IN MIXED CONDITIONS (SOLID IMC ABOVE 2000-3000 FT AGL. WE REQUESTED VECTORS ON DME ARC FOR ILS 2. CTR DID NOT ADVISE WHAT TO EXPECT UNTIL ABOUT 17 DME. (DME ARC IS 12 DME). WE WERE ON THE SAF 215 DEG RADIAL INBOUND (LOC INBOUND IS 213 DEGS). WE WERE THEN GIVEN A HDG OF 015 DEG FOR THE APCH. I HAD THE APCH SET UP IN THE RADIOS AND FLT DISPLAYS (EHSI). HOWEVER, I HAD MY EHSI ACCIDENTALLY COUPLED TO THE #2 NAV, WHICH WAS SET TO THE SAF VOR, THINKING I WAS COUPLED TO THE #1 NAV WHICH WAS SET TO THE ILS. AT JUST OUTSIDE THE 12 DME, I REQUESTED TO JOIN THE ARC (BECAUSE I SHOWED A DEFLECTION TO THE R, AND WAS BEING VECTORED TO THE L). I WAS CLRED TO DO SO, AND TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO THE R (THE WRONG DIRECTION). THE CTLR AMENDED MY CLRNC TO MAINTAIN 11000 FT FOR TERRAIN AND ADVISED I WAS GOING AWAY FROM THE LOC. AT THAT TIME, I BROKE OUT INTO THE CLR, CANCELED IFR, WENT IN VFR, AND REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. I BELIEVE A CLOSER LOOK AT THE APCH AND WHAT RADIAL I WAS ON, WOULD HAVE HELPED. IN ADDITION, I SHOULD RECHK THE RECEIVER THE EHSI IS COUPLED TO, WHEN SWITCHING. (I HAD PRESET IT IN THE PRESELECT MODE.) MY NORMAL PROC FOR ENRTE IS TO SET #1 IN ACTIVE AND #2 IN PRESELECT, FOR INTXN IDENT ). ON APCHS, I GENERALLY DO THE RECIPROCAL. THIS TIME, I HAD A BRAIN FART AND SET IT UP THE WRONG WAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 293166: I WAS ON THE RADIOS AND WORKING THE CHKLISTS AND HAD POINTED OUT THE FACT THAT THIS HDG WAS GOING TO WORK GREAT FOR INTERCEPTING THE ILS COURSE. I FEEL, HOWEVER, THAT THE CAPT WAS NOT FULLY AWARE OF THIS AND THOUGHT WE WERE ON A MORE PERPENDICULAR INTERCEPT. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US TO EXPECT THE ILS VIA THE VECTOR WE WERE ON. THE CTLR THEN CLRED US FOR THE APCH AT ABOUT 12 DME FROM SAF VOR (WHICH IS 3 MI FROM FIELD). WE WERE ASSIGNED 9000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC. THEN, AT 11.1 DME, THE CAPT KEYED THE MIKE AND ASKED FOR THE ARC (WHICH IS A 12 DME ARC). THE CTLR HESITATED FOR A MOMENT, THEN CLRED US FOR THE ARC. BEING AS SURPRISED AS THE CTLR, I REMINDED THE CAPT THAT WE WERE ALREADY INSIDE 11 MI. (I DID NOT MENTION THE FACT THAT THE VECTOR WE WERE ON HAD US TO WHERE WE CROSSED THE ARC AT THE LEAD RADIAL FOR THE TURN INBOUND, WHICH IS WHY I WAS SO SURPRISED AT HIS REQUEST.) WHEN I ADVISED HIM OF OUR DME RANGE, HE IMMEDIATELY BANKED R TO INTERCEPT THE ARC WHILE NOT REALIZING THAT WE WERE ALREADY FLYING THROUGH THE LOC COURSE. HE QUICKLY JOINED THE ARC AND LOOKED AT HIS DISPLAY TO SEE WHEN THE LOC COURSE WOULD COME ALIVE. HE THEN REALIZED HE ONLY HAD THE VOR UP ON HIS DISPLAY AND IMMEDIATELY FLIPPED THE SWITCH WHILE TELLING ME TO 'JOIN HIM ON THE LOC.' ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY, ZAB ASKED US TO RPT OUR POS AND ASKED US IF WE WERE AWARE HOW FAR R OF COURSE WE WERE. THEY THEN TOLD US NOT TO DSND BELOW 9000 FT FOR TERRAIN CLRNC. WE THEN BROKE OUT AND THE CAPT TOLD ME TO CANCEL THE IFR AND WE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. I FEEL THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT COULD BE AVOIDED WITH BETTER CREW COORD. I PERSONALLY FEEL THIS CAPT USED A 'SINGLE PLT' ATTITUDE AND WOULD HAVE HAD BETTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS IF HE ALLOWED ME TO ASSIST HIM. I, ON THE OTHER HAND, COULD HAVE BEEN MORE ASSERTIVE IN THE PROCESS AND EXPRESSED MY POINT OF VIEW MORE CLRLY.

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.