Narrative:

On downwind to runway 1R; iad; I heard controller direct us to turn right heading 270 degrees. I was PNF and read back. Then; I heard 'turn right heading 300' and read this back. During the turn; my first officer had difficulty setting his cockpit instruments to green needles for approach; and I was attempting to help him with the transition. I looked up; and saw that we were about to fly through the final approach course. I queried ATC as to whether they wanted us to turn final to runway 1R; and the controller said that I was directed to turn to 030 degrees; and cleared for the visual approach. We overshot final approach; I disconnected the autoplt; and turned hard to reestablish on final approach course. During the turn back to final approach; we got a traffic alert on TCAS; and ATC advised us there was VFR traffic below us at 1800 ft. We arrested our descent; and continued to turn back to final approach. Once established on the final approach course; we were above the glidepath; and not properly configured. I decided to go around. On go around; I was directed to climb to 2000 ft; and turn sbound. On autoplt; the controller advised us that the shallow rate of turn was not sufficient to keep us out of dca airspace. I disconnected autoplt; and turned to 45 degrees of bank. In the turn; I lost 200 ft of altitude; but quickly recovered it. We were reestablished on downwind and landed without further incident. Other pertinent information: 1) although VFR; we were in scattered clouds and hazy conditions. The radio xmissions were somewhat broken and choppy. 2) it was a high traffic time; and the controller was busy. 3) I had an extremely inexperienced first officer. I take full responsibility for this incident; and regret that I did not query the controller about turning to final sooner than I did.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CL65 FLT CREW OVERSHOT FINAL FOR A VISUAL APCH. CORRECTING TO FINAL RESULTED IN A STEEP APCH; AND THE FLT CREW INITIATED A GO-AROUND.

Narrative: ON DOWNWIND TO RWY 1R; IAD; I HEARD CTLR DIRECT US TO TURN R HDG 270 DEGS. I WAS PNF AND READ BACK. THEN; I HEARD 'TURN R HDG 300' AND READ THIS BACK. DURING THE TURN; MY FO HAD DIFFICULTY SETTING HIS COCKPIT INSTS TO GREEN NEEDLES FOR APCH; AND I WAS ATTEMPTING TO HELP HIM WITH THE TRANSITION. I LOOKED UP; AND SAW THAT WE WERE ABOUT TO FLY THROUGH THE FINAL APCH COURSE. I QUERIED ATC AS TO WHETHER THEY WANTED US TO TURN FINAL TO RWY 1R; AND THE CTLR SAID THAT I WAS DIRECTED TO TURN TO 030 DEGS; AND CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. WE OVERSHOT FINAL APCH; I DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPLT; AND TURNED HARD TO REESTABLISH ON FINAL APCH COURSE. DURING THE TURN BACK TO FINAL APCH; WE GOT A TFC ALERT ON TCAS; AND ATC ADVISED US THERE WAS VFR TFC BELOW US AT 1800 FT. WE ARRESTED OUR DSCNT; AND CONTINUED TO TURN BACK TO FINAL APCH. ONCE ESTABLISHED ON THE FINAL APCH COURSE; WE WERE ABOVE THE GLIDEPATH; AND NOT PROPERLY CONFIGURED. I DECIDED TO GO AROUND. ON GAR; I WAS DIRECTED TO CLB TO 2000 FT; AND TURN SBOUND. ON AUTOPLT; THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT THE SHALLOW RATE OF TURN WAS NOT SUFFICIENT TO KEEP US OUT OF DCA AIRSPACE. I DISCONNECTED AUTOPLT; AND TURNED TO 45 DEGS OF BANK. IN THE TURN; I LOST 200 FT OF ALT; BUT QUICKLY RECOVERED IT. WE WERE REESTABLISHED ON DOWNWIND AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. OTHER PERTINENT INFO: 1) ALTHOUGH VFR; WE WERE IN SCATTERED CLOUDS AND HAZY CONDITIONS. THE RADIO XMISSIONS WERE SOMEWHAT BROKEN AND CHOPPY. 2) IT WAS A HIGH TFC TIME; AND THE CTLR WAS BUSY. 3) I HAD AN EXTREMELY INEXPERIENCED FO. I TAKE FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS INCIDENT; AND REGRET THAT I DID NOT QUERY THE CTLR ABOUT TURNING TO FINAL SOONER THAN I DID.

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.