Narrative:

While on radar vectors for the ILS to runway 01 at dca; we were told to expect runway 19 via the lda approach instead. This completely changed many things that we had prepared for; and we were immediately put into a very high workload situation; with very little time to accomplish many tasks and revised discussions. While I was reprogramming the FMS and all of its associated data parameters for the new approach; we were given a right turn vector to 360 degrees. The first officer inadvertently began the turn to the left. I did not notice that he had turned the wrong direction until we were 30 degrees off of our initial heading; due to the fact that I was busy reconfiguring the FMS. When I saw his wrong turn; I immediately corrected him back to the correct direction of turn (right). As we were about halfway to 360 degrees; ATC informed us that they show us to be turning in the wrong direction. (We initially had; but had since corrected; and were now halfway to where they had wanted us to be; 360 degrees.) ATC then re-stated that we needed to turn right to 360 degrees; which we continued to do. We then completed the flight with no further mention of the initial wrong turn direction. I had not done a 100% effective job of monitoring the first officer; primarily due to the fact that I was very busy reconfiguring the FMS in a very big hurry. It is unfortunate and regrettable that I did not oversee his actions more effectively. I shall make every effort to monitor my first officer's actions more closely in the future.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACFT BEING RADAR VECTORED FOR DCA 1 WAS CHANGED TO A DCA LDA RWY 19 APCH. THE CAPT REPROGRAMMED THE FMC WHILE THE FO FLEW BUT DID NOT FOLLOW DIRECTIONS.

Narrative: WHILE ON RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ILS TO RWY 01 AT DCA; WE WERE TOLD TO EXPECT RWY 19 VIA THE LDA APPROACH INSTEAD. THIS COMPLETELY CHANGED MANY THINGS THAT WE HAD PREPARED FOR; AND WE WERE IMMEDIATELY PUT INTO A VERY HIGH WORKLOAD SITUATION; WITH VERY LITTLE TIME TO ACCOMPLISH MANY TASKS AND REVISED DISCUSSIONS. WHILE I WAS REPROGRAMMING THE FMS AND ALL OF ITS ASSOCIATED DATA PARAMETERS FOR THE NEW APPROACH; WE WERE GIVEN A RIGHT TURN VECTOR TO 360 DEGREES. THE FIRST OFFICER INADVERTENTLY BEGAN THE TURN TO THE LEFT. I DID NOT NOTICE THAT HE HAD TURNED THE WRONG DIRECTION UNTIL WE WERE 30 DEGREES OFF OF OUR INITIAL HEADING; DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS BUSY RECONFIGURING THE FMS. WHEN I SAW HIS WRONG TURN; I IMMEDIATELY CORRECTED HIM BACK TO THE CORRECT DIRECTION OF TURN (RIGHT). AS WE WERE ABOUT HALFWAY TO 360 DEGREES; ATC INFORMED US THAT THEY SHOW US TO BE TURNING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. (WE INITIALLY HAD; BUT HAD SINCE CORRECTED; AND WERE NOW HALFWAY TO WHERE THEY HAD WANTED US TO BE; 360 DEGS.) ATC THEN RE-STATED THAT WE NEEDED TO TURN RIGHT TO 360 DEGS; WHICH WE CONTINUED TO DO. WE THEN COMPLETED THE FLIGHT WITH NO FURTHER MENTION OF THE INITIAL WRONG TURN DIRECTION. I HAD NOT DONE A 100% EFFECTIVE JOB OF MONITORING THE FIRST OFFICER; PRIMARILY DUE TO THE FACT THAT I WAS VERY BUSY RECONFIGURING THE FMS IN A VERY BIG HURRY. IT IS UNFORTUNATE AND REGRETTABLE THAT I DID NOT OVERSEE HIS ACTIONS MORE EFFECTIVELY. I SHALL MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO MONITOR MY FO'S ACTIONS MORE CLOSELY IN THE FUTURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.