TCASII avoids a collision but causes navigation error when crew distracted.

Attributes
ACN	240297
Time
Date	199304
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fim airport : bur
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : bur
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 105 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 60
ASRS Report	240297
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 200 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was tracking outbound on the fim 136 degree radial and descending to 7000 ft when bur approach issued a 130 degree vector to join the bur runway 8 localizer and further descent to 5000 ft. I would estimate we were about 4-5 mi from the localizer centerline when this clearance was received. The assigned heading and altitude were set on the flight guidance panel and I was in the process of tuning the runway 8 localizer when we received a TCASII alert. I looked at the TCASII screen to determine the orientation of the traffic (approximately 11 O'clock and 2 1/2 mi) and then looked outside to acquire it. Immediately thereafter, an aural TCASII RA 'monitor vertical speed' sounded which brought my attention back inside to the vsi. As the autoplt initiated altitude capture at 5000 ft we spotted the small aircraft passing left to right underneath us at around 4500 ft. At that time burbank approach advised us that we had overshot the localizer course. Due to the distraction of the TCASII warning I had failed to arm the autoplt to capture the localizer. After the transmission by bur approach, the TCASII aural 'clear of conflict' sounded. Vectors were received to rejoin the localizer course and the remainder of the approach and landing was uneventful. I don't believe my actions caused a loss of separation with any aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCASII AVOIDS A COLLISION BUT CAUSES NAV ERROR WHEN CREW DISTRACTED.

Narrative: I WAS TRACKING OUTBOUND ON THE FIM 136 DEG RADIAL AND DSNDING TO 7000 FT WHEN BUR APCH ISSUED A 130 DEG VECTOR TO JOIN THE BUR RWY 8 LOC AND FURTHER DSCNT TO 5000 FT. I WOULD ESTIMATE WE WERE ABOUT 4-5 MI FROM THE LOC CTRLINE WHEN THIS CLRNC WAS RECEIVED. THE ASSIGNED HDG AND ALT WERE SET ON THE FLT GUIDANCE PANEL AND I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF TUNING THE RWY 8 LOC WHEN WE RECEIVED A TCASII ALERT. I LOOKED AT THE TCASII SCREEN TO DETERMINE THE ORIENTATION OF THE TFC (APPROX 11 O'CLOCK AND 2 1/2 MI) AND THEN LOOKED OUTSIDE TO ACQUIRE IT. IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER, AN AURAL TCASII RA 'MONITOR VERT SPD' SOUNDED WHICH BROUGHT MY ATTN BACK INSIDE TO THE VSI. AS THE AUTOPLT INITIATED ALT CAPTURE AT 5000 FT WE SPOTTED THE SMA PASSING L TO R UNDERNEATH US AT AROUND 4500 FT. AT THAT TIME BURBANK APCH ADVISED US THAT WE HAD OVERSHOT THE LOC COURSE. DUE TO THE DISTR OF THE TCASII WARNING I HAD FAILED TO ARM THE AUTOPLT TO CAPTURE THE LOC. AFTER THE XMISSION BY BUR APCH, THE TCASII AURAL 'CLR OF CONFLICT' SOUNDED. VECTORS WERE RECEIVED TO REJOIN THE LOC COURSE AND THE REMAINDER OF THE APCH AND LNDG WAS UNEVENTFUL. I DON'T BELIEVE MY ACTIONS CAUSED A LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH ANY ACFT.

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.