Narrative:

Occurrences: 1) PIC did not respond to ATC directions to intercept localizer. 2) when intercept was started; it was not caught; but rather flown through the opposite side of course. 3) received new heading from ATC. New heading was either input incorrectly or was not for our aircraft. (If not for us; did not receive correction from ATC). 4) during heading change; 500 ft altitude lost. How problem arose: PIC fixating on issues not related to flying the plane. Corrective action: received new ATC instructions. I took the plane from PIC to regain lost altitude and monitored PIC more closely. Human factors: the PIC is over 80 yrs old. He no longer can obtain insurance. Upon completion of this flight; his wife informed me that he has hearing aids which he won't wear. He has a single pilot type waiver; and he has just passed his medical and annually goes to flight safety. This is my 4TH flight with him. On each flight; I have seen things which I cannot agree with. This situation confirms to me that he should not be flying at all and is a safety risk to others. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: analyst advised reporter that the FAA hotline may be an appropriate avenue to express concerns regarding the other pilot's proficiency.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C550 SAFETY PLT OBSERVES MARGINAL PERFORMANCE BY 80 YR OLD PLT AND BELIEVES THAT THE PLT IS A SAFETY RISK.

Narrative: OCCURRENCES: 1) PIC DID NOT RESPOND TO ATC DIRECTIONS TO INTERCEPT LOC. 2) WHEN INTERCEPT WAS STARTED; IT WAS NOT CAUGHT; BUT RATHER FLOWN THROUGH THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF COURSE. 3) RECEIVED NEW HDG FROM ATC. NEW HDG WAS EITHER INPUT INCORRECTLY OR WAS NOT FOR OUR ACFT. (IF NOT FOR US; DID NOT RECEIVE CORRECTION FROM ATC). 4) DURING HDG CHANGE; 500 FT ALT LOST. HOW PROB AROSE: PIC FIXATING ON ISSUES NOT RELATED TO FLYING THE PLANE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: RECEIVED NEW ATC INSTRUCTIONS. I TOOK THE PLANE FROM PIC TO REGAIN LOST ALT AND MONITORED PIC MORE CLOSELY. HUMAN FACTORS: THE PIC IS OVER 80 YRS OLD. HE NO LONGER CAN OBTAIN INSURANCE. UPON COMPLETION OF THIS FLT; HIS WIFE INFORMED ME THAT HE HAS HEARING AIDS WHICH HE WON'T WEAR. HE HAS A SINGLE PLT TYPE WAIVER; AND HE HAS JUST PASSED HIS MEDICAL AND ANNUALLY GOES TO FLT SAFETY. THIS IS MY 4TH FLT WITH HIM. ON EACH FLT; I HAVE SEEN THINGS WHICH I CANNOT AGREE WITH. THIS SIT CONFIRMS TO ME THAT HE SHOULD NOT BE FLYING AT ALL AND IS A SAFETY RISK TO OTHERS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: ANALYST ADVISED RPTR THAT THE FAA HOTLINE MAY BE AN APPROPRIATE AVENUE TO EXPRESS CONCERNS REGARDING THE OTHER PLT'S PROFICIENCY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.