Narrative:

On right downwind for runway 36L at tpa, we were instructed to turn right from 185 degrees to 230 degrees and asked if we had the airport in sight. Since 230 degrees had us still proceeding away from the airport, I could not see it, but my first officer had it, so I accepted the visual based on his observation. I immediately turned to a 270 degree heading in order to have a better chance to 'see the runway' off the right side, but was still unable to make contact. I then began a descent to cross macdill AFB at 2600 ft assigned. This AFB was very hard to find as it was a wkend, so the runways were unlit. After we thought we crossed the AFB, I descended to 2000 ft which was the OM GS crossing ht. Both navs were turned to the tpa runway 36L ILS and showed us still east of the final approach. The ADF was tuned to picny OM compass locator, and pointed straight ahead instead of nnw as expected. Then my HSI showed us passing through the final, but the ADF still pointed straight ahead (west). I checked my HSI against the first officer's and both agreed. I then rechked the asdf which began to spin and then point north. When all instruments agreed that the final was passed, I began a turn to the north, but was then instructed by the tower to turn left to 180 degrees and enter a left downwind as I was too far west of the final. We were resequenced behind another aircraft entering an on extended left base, outside our position. A call to the tower was requested and received after landing. This problem was caused because of my confusion as to our position to the picny OM (needle lagging ILS information) and my first officer's assumption that I had the field in sight too, and that no vectors needed to be given. When I turned from an assigned heading of 230 degrees to 270 degrees in order to get a better chance to 'see the airport,' the first officer thought I was calling it in sight.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HDG TRACK DEV BY A B737-200 FLC MAKING A NIGHT VISUAL TO TPA, FL.

Narrative: ON R DOWNWIND FOR RWY 36L AT TPA, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN R FROM 185 DEGS TO 230 DEGS AND ASKED IF WE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. SINCE 230 DEGS HAD US STILL PROCEEDING AWAY FROM THE ARPT, I COULD NOT SEE IT, BUT MY FO HAD IT, SO I ACCEPTED THE VISUAL BASED ON HIS OBSERVATION. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED TO A 270 DEG HDG IN ORDER TO HAVE A BETTER CHANCE TO 'SEE THE RWY' OFF THE R SIDE, BUT WAS STILL UNABLE TO MAKE CONTACT. I THEN BEGAN A DSCNT TO CROSS MACDILL AFB AT 2600 FT ASSIGNED. THIS AFB WAS VERY HARD TO FIND AS IT WAS A WKEND, SO THE RWYS WERE UNLIT. AFTER WE THOUGHT WE CROSSED THE AFB, I DSNDED TO 2000 FT WHICH WAS THE OM GS XING HT. BOTH NAVS WERE TURNED TO THE TPA RWY 36L ILS AND SHOWED US STILL E OF THE FINAL APCH. THE ADF WAS TUNED TO PICNY OM COMPASS LOCATOR, AND POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD INSTEAD OF NNW AS EXPECTED. THEN MY HSI SHOWED US PASSING THROUGH THE FINAL, BUT THE ADF STILL POINTED STRAIGHT AHEAD (W). I CHKED MY HSI AGAINST THE FO'S AND BOTH AGREED. I THEN RECHKED THE ASDF WHICH BEGAN TO SPIN AND THEN POINT N. WHEN ALL INSTS AGREED THAT THE FINAL WAS PASSED, I BEGAN A TURN TO THE N, BUT WAS THEN INSTRUCTED BY THE TWR TO TURN L TO 180 DEGS AND ENTER A L DOWNWIND AS I WAS TOO FAR W OF THE FINAL. WE WERE RESEQUENCED BEHIND ANOTHER ACFT ENTERING AN ON EXTENDED L BASE, OUTSIDE OUR POS. A CALL TO THE TWR WAS REQUESTED AND RECEIVED AFTER LNDG. THIS PROB WAS CAUSED BECAUSE OF MY CONFUSION AS TO OUR POS TO THE PICNY OM (NEEDLE LAGGING ILS INFO) AND MY FO'S ASSUMPTION THAT I HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT TOO, AND THAT NO VECTORS NEEDED TO BE GIVEN. WHEN I TURNED FROM AN ASSIGNED HDG OF 230 DEGS TO 270 DEGS IN ORDER TO GET A BETTER CHANCE TO 'SEE THE ARPT,' THE FO THOUGHT I WAS CALLING IT IN SIGHT.

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.