Narrative:

While on a north heading for a 90 degree intercept to the final approach course for runway 8L in hnl; we got a left hydraulic quantity message on EICAS. Status page showed zero hydraulic quantity. We told approach we need a left turn out over the water and I started a left turn. Controller told us to turn right to intercept the localizer. We told controller we were turning left. Controller told us there was terrain and to turn left to 180 degrees immediately. We answered that terrain was in sight and not a factor. Controller modified our heading to 230 degrees and said we should have told him earlier. Controller then immediately started talking to other aircraft. Before we could get a word in to declare an emergency; the EICAS message went away and the status page showed good quantity for the left hydraulics. We told controller we were ready for the approach and he vectored us for approach and landing. I turned left over the water to take terrain out of our situation. Also; I wanted to stay out of the hnl traffic area. Good plan; poor execution. I should have followed controller's instructions; intercepted the localizer and then asked for vectors over the water. Instead of reducing the controller's workload; I added to it. It was the wrong decision and it will not happen again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B767-300 ON APCH TO HNL EXPERIENCED A HYD PROB AND TURNED OFF COURSE WITHOUT COORDINATING WITH ATC.

Narrative: WHILE ON A N HDG FOR A 90 DEG INTERCEPT TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE FOR RWY 8L IN HNL; WE GOT A L HYD QUANTITY MESSAGE ON EICAS. STATUS PAGE SHOWED ZERO HYD QUANTITY. WE TOLD APCH WE NEED A L TURN OUT OVER THE WATER AND I STARTED A L TURN. CTLR TOLD US TO TURN R TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. WE TOLD CTLR WE WERE TURNING L. CTLR TOLD US THERE WAS TERRAIN AND TO TURN L TO 180 DEGS IMMEDIATELY. WE ANSWERED THAT TERRAIN WAS IN SIGHT AND NOT A FACTOR. CTLR MODIFIED OUR HDG TO 230 DEGS AND SAID WE SHOULD HAVE TOLD HIM EARLIER. CTLR THEN IMMEDIATELY STARTED TALKING TO OTHER ACFT. BEFORE WE COULD GET A WORD IN TO DECLARE AN EMER; THE EICAS MESSAGE WENT AWAY AND THE STATUS PAGE SHOWED GOOD QUANTITY FOR THE L HYDS. WE TOLD CTLR WE WERE READY FOR THE APCH AND HE VECTORED US FOR APCH AND LNDG. I TURNED L OVER THE WATER TO TAKE TERRAIN OUT OF OUR SITUATION. ALSO; I WANTED TO STAY OUT OF THE HNL TFC AREA. GOOD PLAN; POOR EXECUTION. I SHOULD HAVE FOLLOWED CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS; INTERCEPTED THE LOC AND THEN ASKED FOR VECTORS OVER THE WATER. INSTEAD OF REDUCING THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD; I ADDED TO IT. IT WAS THE WRONG DECISION AND IT WILL NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

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.