Narrative:

While being vectored on a downwind leg to runway 1L at dulles, tower asked if we had the field in sight, which we did. At that time we were cleared for a visual approach to runway 1L and a left turn back to the field was initiated to result in a final of approximately 6 mi. When approximately 60 degrees from the runway heading, tower reported traffic (B757) joining a final for runway 1R. While looking for the traffic, the first officer (who was flying the aircraft) took his eyes off the field and shallowed his bank while looking for the B757. When I realized he was not just squaring off his final but was going to overshoot the runway I told him he was going to overshoot and ordered a turn back to our runway. He seemed disoriented and was slow in responding resulting in a significant overshoot approaching the approach corridor for runway 1R. A TCASII RA resulted with a 'monitor vertical speed' command which was complied with. Tower questioned if we had the traffic in sight which we answered in the affirmative. We corrected back to runway 1L centerline and landed with no further incident. In talking to the first officer after the landing he indicated that he lost sight of the runway in the left turn, also that he never actually saw the B757. Although I indicated that I saw the traffic and pointed it out, the first officer did not see it but I assumed he did. I also assumed that he had the runway in sight, so I was unaware that he had lost situational awareness. The lesson to me is to never assume another crew member is seeing the same thing I am and to work to communicate what I am seeing even when WX is good and 'easy' visual approachs are being conducted.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A DC9-30 FO OVERSHOOTS THE TURN ON FINAL TO RWY 1L AT IAD WHILE LOOKING FOR VISUAL TFC ON APCH TO RWY 1R.

Narrative: WHILE BEING VECTORED ON A DOWNWIND LEG TO RWY 1L AT DULLES, TWR ASKED IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, WHICH WE DID. AT THAT TIME WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 1L AND A L TURN BACK TO THE FIELD WAS INITIATED TO RESULT IN A FINAL OF APPROX 6 MI. WHEN APPROX 60 DEGS FROM THE RWY HDG, TWR RPTED TFC (B757) JOINING A FINAL FOR RWY 1R. WHILE LOOKING FOR THE TFC, THE FO (WHO WAS FLYING THE ACFT) TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE FIELD AND SHALLOWED HIS BANK WHILE LOOKING FOR THE B757. WHEN I REALIZED HE WAS NOT JUST SQUARING OFF HIS FINAL BUT WAS GOING TO OVERSHOOT THE RWY I TOLD HIM HE WAS GOING TO OVERSHOOT AND ORDERED A TURN BACK TO OUR RWY. HE SEEMED DISORIENTED AND WAS SLOW IN RESPONDING RESULTING IN A SIGNIFICANT OVERSHOOT APCHING THE APCH CORRIDOR FOR RWY 1R. A TCASII RA RESULTED WITH A 'MONITOR VERT SPD' COMMAND WHICH WAS COMPLIED WITH. TWR QUESTIONED IF WE HAD THE TFC IN SIGHT WHICH WE ANSWERED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE. WE CORRECTED BACK TO RWY 1L CTRLINE AND LANDED WITH NO FURTHER INCIDENT. IN TALKING TO THE FO AFTER THE LNDG HE INDICATED THAT HE LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY IN THE L TURN, ALSO THAT HE NEVER ACTUALLY SAW THE B757. ALTHOUGH I INDICATED THAT I SAW THE TFC AND POINTED IT OUT, THE FO DID NOT SEE IT BUT I ASSUMED HE DID. I ALSO ASSUMED THAT HE HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT, SO I WAS UNAWARE THAT HE HAD LOST SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. THE LESSON TO ME IS TO NEVER ASSUME ANOTHER CREW MEMBER IS SEEING THE SAME THING I AM AND TO WORK TO COMMUNICATE WHAT I AM SEEING EVEN WHEN WX IS GOOD AND 'EASY' VISUAL APCHS ARE BEING CONDUCTED.

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.