Narrative:

Aircraft was being operated on autoplt by captain. A turn was started from downwind to base for ILS runway 17 at oma as the autoplt was attempting to level at 3000 ft MSL from a descent. The autoplt failed to level at 3000 ft and manual control was taken of aircraft and leveled at 3000 ft. A turn to intercept ILS was given after autoplt reengaged. ILS was armed for intercept. We were busy running landing checklist or doing something else pertinent when approach called and stated that we flew through the localizer. Approach inquired if we had the field in sight, we stated no. They offered to take us back out for another intercept, we declined. I had planned to 'dirty up,' intercept the localizer, then come down fast to the GS. (We had ground contact at this point, but could not see the field yet.) as I approached the localizer again for the intercept, the first officer called runway in sight. As I was looking for the runway that he called, the autoplt started down the GS prior to localizer capture. Approach clearance was to maintain 3000 ft until established, cleared approach (ILS 17). I don't feel any safety was compromised due to good visibility ahead and being on GS. I feel that the autoplt's failure to level at 3000 ft and its failure to capture the localizer was very distracting. Trying to figure out what happened makes it tough to concentrate on what's ahead. First officer's calling field in sight was also distracting due to fact that he did not actually have it in sight, but must have been looking at some roads. In retrospect, we should have taken up offer from approach control for another intercept.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG CREW MADE A POOR AUTOPLT INTERCEPT AND LEFT THEIR ALT PRIOR TO THEIR CLRNC POINT.

Narrative: ACFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON AUTOPLT BY CAPT. A TURN WAS STARTED FROM DOWNWIND TO BASE FOR ILS RWY 17 AT OMA AS THE AUTOPLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT MSL FROM A DSCNT. THE AUTOPLT FAILED TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT AND MANUAL CTL WAS TAKEN OF ACFT AND LEVELED AT 3000 FT. A TURN TO INTERCEPT ILS WAS GIVEN AFTER AUTOPLT REENGAGED. ILS WAS ARMED FOR INTERCEPT. WE WERE BUSY RUNNING LNDG CHKLIST OR DOING SOMETHING ELSE PERTINENT WHEN APCH CALLED AND STATED THAT WE FLEW THROUGH THE LOC. APCH INQUIRED IF WE HAD THE FIELD IN SIGHT, WE STATED NO. THEY OFFERED TO TAKE US BACK OUT FOR ANOTHER INTERCEPT, WE DECLINED. I HAD PLANNED TO 'DIRTY UP,' INTERCEPT THE LOC, THEN COME DOWN FAST TO THE GS. (WE HAD GND CONTACT AT THIS POINT, BUT COULD NOT SEE THE FIELD YET.) AS I APCHED THE LOC AGAIN FOR THE INTERCEPT, THE FO CALLED RWY IN SIGHT. AS I WAS LOOKING FOR THE RWY THAT HE CALLED, THE AUTOPLT STARTED DOWN THE GS PRIOR TO LOC CAPTURE. APCH CLRNC WAS TO MAINTAIN 3000 FT UNTIL ESTABLISHED, CLRED APCH (ILS 17). I DON'T FEEL ANY SAFETY WAS COMPROMISED DUE TO GOOD VISIBILITY AHEAD AND BEING ON GS. I FEEL THAT THE AUTOPLT'S FAILURE TO LEVEL AT 3000 FT AND ITS FAILURE TO CAPTURE THE LOC WAS VERY DISTRACTING. TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT HAPPENED MAKES IT TOUGH TO CONCENTRATE ON WHAT'S AHEAD. FO'S CALLING FIELD IN SIGHT WAS ALSO DISTRACTING DUE TO FACT THAT HE DID NOT ACTUALLY HAVE IT IN SIGHT, BUT MUST HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME ROADS. IN RETROSPECT, WE SHOULD HAVE TAKEN UP OFFER FROM APCH CTL FOR ANOTHER INTERCEPT.

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.