Reporter describes flight crew becoming momentarily disoriented on lda approach.

Attributes
ACN	293150
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : dtw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 154 flight time total : 3800 flight time type : 1322
ASRS Report	293150
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

We were receiving vectors to lda a to lga runway 22, coming from the north. Approach gave us a heading of about 160 degrees and took us through the localizer for spacing. The next heading was right turn to 260 degrees. On that heading we received clearance for the approach. I put my navigation display in arc. At this time I finished up the approach check. The next time I checked my navigation display we were past the localizer on the north side of the course. Using the heading bug, I immediately initiated a left turn to intercept the course, and stated we were through the course. The captain did not see this, but noticed I had 204 degrees in my course window instead of the correct course of 234 degrees. Finally we both agreed we were north of course and we maintained a heading of 210 degrees to intercept the localizer. The rest of the flight was uneventful. No conflict occurred. I estimate we went 3 mi north of course. 2 things occurred on my part that contributed to the situation. First, I noticed the captain did not arm the localizer when cleared approach. I saw that he was in arc and would notice his mistake when the localizer came alive, so I did not mention it. The autoplt was connected. Second, I missed my localizer alive and localizer capture callouts. I was completing the approach check when I should have been monitoring. The reason the check wasn't done earlier was I was sightseeing trying to pick out the cities in southwest connecticut. The visibility was great and I was very relaxed. I do not know why the captain did not see us go through the course. He said he never saw the course move and initially did not agree with me when I said we were past the localizer. His navigation display was in arc and showed exactly what mine did. I think it would have helped if one of us stayed in missed approach on the navigation display.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR DESCRIBES FLC BECOMING MOMENTARILY DISORIENTED ON LDA APCH.

Narrative: WE WERE RECEIVING VECTORS TO LDA A TO LGA RWY 22, COMING FROM THE N. APCH GAVE US A HDG OF ABOUT 160 DEGS AND TOOK US THROUGH THE LOC FOR SPACING. THE NEXT HDG WAS R TURN TO 260 DEGS. ON THAT HDG WE RECEIVED CLRNC FOR THE APCH. I PUT MY NAV DISPLAY IN ARC. AT THIS TIME I FINISHED UP THE APCH CHK. THE NEXT TIME I CHKED MY NAV DISPLAY WE WERE PAST THE LOC ON THE N SIDE OF THE COURSE. USING THE HDG BUG, I IMMEDIATELY INITIATED A L TURN TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE, AND STATED WE WERE THROUGH THE COURSE. THE CAPT DID NOT SEE THIS, BUT NOTICED I HAD 204 DEGS IN MY COURSE WINDOW INSTEAD OF THE CORRECT COURSE OF 234 DEGS. FINALLY WE BOTH AGREED WE WERE N OF COURSE AND WE MAINTAINED A HDG OF 210 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. THE REST OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. NO CONFLICT OCCURRED. I ESTIMATE WE WENT 3 MI N OF COURSE. 2 THINGS OCCURRED ON MY PART THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE SIT. FIRST, I NOTICED THE CAPT DID NOT ARM THE LOC WHEN CLRED APCH. I SAW THAT HE WAS IN ARC AND WOULD NOTICE HIS MISTAKE WHEN THE LOC CAME ALIVE, SO I DID NOT MENTION IT. THE AUTOPLT WAS CONNECTED. SECOND, I MISSED MY LOC ALIVE AND LOC CAPTURE CALLOUTS. I WAS COMPLETING THE APCH CHK WHEN I SHOULD HAVE BEEN MONITORING. THE REASON THE CHK WASN'T DONE EARLIER WAS I WAS SIGHTSEEING TRYING TO PICK OUT THE CITIES IN SW CONNECTICUT. THE VISIBILITY WAS GREAT AND I WAS VERY RELAXED. I DO NOT KNOW WHY THE CAPT DID NOT SEE US GO THROUGH THE COURSE. HE SAID HE NEVER SAW THE COURSE MOVE AND INITIALLY DID NOT AGREE WITH ME WHEN I SAID WE WERE PAST THE LOC. HIS NAV DISPLAY WAS IN ARC AND SHOWED EXACTLY WHAT MINE DID. I THINK IT WOULD HAVE HELPED IF ONE OF US STAYED IN MISSED APCH ON THE NAV DISPLAY.

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.