Narrative:

Hnl was VMC and doing lda runway 26L approachs. Approach briefing included input from all 3 pilots due to less than common 'west operation' to hnl. We were cleared lda runway 26 and aircraft behind us was cleared visual runway 26. Starting the descent, I must have mentally shifted into we were cleared for a visual because I said I was going to 'set up a 700 FPM rate and we'd keep an eye on it.' autoplt was engaged and captured the localizer. Wasn't very steady so I went into heading select. Was very heads-up looking at the airport to get oriented for the 45 degree turn onto final for runway 26L. Was off course to left and made a correction to the heading bug. Back to heads-up. The first officer made a comment regarding altitude like 'you're a little early.' it didn't register because my 'visual' vertical path was right where I wanted to be. Observed we were closer to beach (still well over water) than likely desirable and corrected back to localizer. Turned final right onto extended centerline and almost on vertical path (PAPI?). Normal landing followed. As a visual approach, I wasn't happy with the localizer excursions. Realized I'd been more heads-up than normal for purpose of getting mental picture for the big turn. It was a brief sight-see look at waikiki that brought my attention to being too close to the beach, ie, north of the localizer. It was later that it dawned on me the first officer was attempting to make npa callouts for vertical path when in fact I was thinking visual. He assumed I was just 'off' and still thinking npa. More direct statement may have snapped me out of mistake. Have to process and retain accurately. Happened on second day back after a 7 week medical absence for me. No comment from ZHN.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC10 CAPT HAD A TRACK AND ALTDEV WHILE FLYING THE LDA DME RWY 26L APCH AT HNL.

Narrative: HNL WAS VMC AND DOING LDA RWY 26L APCHS. APCH BRIEFING INCLUDED INPUT FROM ALL 3 PLTS DUE TO LESS THAN COMMON 'W OP' TO HNL. WE WERE CLRED LDA RWY 26 AND ACFT BEHIND US WAS CLRED VISUAL RWY 26. STARTING THE DSCNT, I MUST HAVE MENTALLY SHIFTED INTO WE WERE CLRED FOR A VISUAL BECAUSE I SAID I WAS GOING TO 'SET UP A 700 FPM RATE AND WE'D KEEP AN EYE ON IT.' AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND CAPTURED THE LOC. WASN'T VERY STEADY SO I WENT INTO HDG SELECT. WAS VERY HEADS-UP LOOKING AT THE ARPT TO GET ORIENTED FOR THE 45 DEG TURN ONTO FINAL FOR RWY 26L. WAS OFF COURSE TO L AND MADE A CORRECTION TO THE HDG BUG. BACK TO HEADS-UP. THE FO MADE A COMMENT REGARDING ALT LIKE 'YOU'RE A LITTLE EARLY.' IT DIDN'T REGISTER BECAUSE MY 'VISUAL' VERT PATH WAS RIGHT WHERE I WANTED TO BE. OBSERVED WE WERE CLOSER TO BEACH (STILL WELL OVER WATER) THAN LIKELY DESIRABLE AND CORRECTED BACK TO LOC. TURNED FINAL RIGHT ONTO EXTENDED CTRLINE AND ALMOST ON VERT PATH (PAPI?). NORMAL LNDG FOLLOWED. AS A VISUAL APCH, I WASN'T HAPPY WITH THE LOC EXCURSIONS. REALIZED I'D BEEN MORE HEADS-UP THAN NORMAL FOR PURPOSE OF GETTING MENTAL PICTURE FOR THE BIG TURN. IT WAS A BRIEF SIGHT-SEE LOOK AT WAIKIKI THAT BROUGHT MY ATTN TO BEING TOO CLOSE TO THE BEACH, IE, N OF THE LOC. IT WAS LATER THAT IT DAWNED ON ME THE FO WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE NPA CALLOUTS FOR VERT PATH WHEN IN FACT I WAS THINKING VISUAL. HE ASSUMED I WAS JUST 'OFF' AND STILL THINKING NPA. MORE DIRECT STATEMENT MAY HAVE SNAPPED ME OUT OF MISTAKE. HAVE TO PROCESS AND RETAIN ACCURATELY. HAPPENED ON SECOND DAY BACK AFTER A 7 WK MEDICAL ABSENCE FOR ME. NO COMMENT FROM ZHN.

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.