An airbus 319 crew reported primary flight display misalignment while on approach to msp.

Attributes
ACN	481040
Time
Date	200008
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : washy
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl single value : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : m98.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other other vortac
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	481040
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14500 flight time type : 90
ASRS Report	481043
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were cleared directly to washy intersection to intercept the localizer to runway 12L and descend to 3000 ft. I entered direct washy intersection into mcdu and we were proceeding direct. All indications on captain's primary flight display were normal and we descended to 3000 ft. Approach questioned whether we could make the approach from our position. We said 'yes.' then, controller stated that it looked as if we were heading directly to msp VOR, instead of washy intersection. The pfd map then started to drift on captain's primary flight display. My primary flight display was further misaligned. No 'accuracy downgrade' was displayed and accuracy level was 'high.' we were left of course and attempting to correct to the right. By then, we were too close and too high to attempt the approach. We were given a turn to parallel runway heading and then we were turned out for another approach. Maybe a turn to final further out would have been prudent considering WX. Supplemental information from acn 481043: perhaps, in IFR conditions, the controllers should clear an aircraft to a position further out on an approach in the event the inertial reference system drift, more time and space would be available to correct the situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRBUS 319 CREW RPTED PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY MISALIGNMENT WHILE ON APCH TO MSP.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECTLY TO WASHY INTXN TO INTERCEPT THE LOC TO RWY 12L AND DSND TO 3000 FT. I ENTERED DIRECT WASHY INTXN INTO MCDU AND WE WERE PROCEEDING DIRECT. ALL INDICATIONS ON CAPT'S PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY WERE NORMAL AND WE DSNDED TO 3000 FT. APCH QUESTIONED WHETHER WE COULD MAKE THE APCH FROM OUR POS. WE SAID 'YES.' THEN, CTLR STATED THAT IT LOOKED AS IF WE WERE HDG DIRECTLY TO MSP VOR, INSTEAD OF WASHY INTXN. THE PFD MAP THEN STARTED TO DRIFT ON CAPT'S PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY. MY PRIMARY FLT DISPLAY WAS FURTHER MISALIGNED. NO 'ACCURACY DOWNGRADE' WAS DISPLAYED AND ACCURACY LEVEL WAS 'HIGH.' WE WERE L OF COURSE AND ATTEMPTING TO CORRECT TO THE R. BY THEN, WE WERE TOO CLOSE AND TOO HIGH TO ATTEMPT THE APCH. WE WERE GIVEN A TURN TO PARALLEL RWY HDG AND THEN WE WERE TURNED OUT FOR ANOTHER APCH. MAYBE A TURN TO FINAL FURTHER OUT WOULD HAVE BEEN PRUDENT CONSIDERING WX. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 481043: PERHAPS, IN IFR CONDITIONS, THE CTLRS SHOULD CLR AN ACFT TO A POS FURTHER OUT ON AN APCH IN THE EVENT THE INERTIAL REF SYS DRIFT, MORE TIME AND SPACE WOULD BE AVAILABLE TO CORRECT THE SIT.

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.