Narrative:

Problem arose when intercepting localizer level at 5000 ft and cleared for approach. Autoplt was engaged and approach mode selected. We crossed through localizer without capturing it. I turned aircraft in control wheel steering mode to re-intercept -- it didn't. I turned off autoplt to hand-fly approach and follow flight director bars and it again went through localizer. I turned my ehsi, electronic horizontal situation indicator, to localizer mode from missed approach mode and discovered the course bar was not turned to the proper inbound course. Set correct inbound heading in and it worked fine. In setting up for approach the setting of the course was not accomplished. When the first officer did the checklist, he said he saw it wasn't set properly but didn't say anything because he thought I was using it for something else. How far we deviated off course I'm not sure, but parallel approachs were in effect and we probably got close to the other localizer. We were at different altitudes from the other aircraft. ATC did not question us. First officer was also getting confused on when to switch to the tower frequency from approach control. They do it early at ord when parallel approachs are in use. I learned once again to double check everything.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLG ACFT COMMENCING APCH. RPTR CAPT COULDN'T GET AUTOPLT TO INTERCEPT ILS, THEN HAND FLEW ACFT BUT THE FLT DIRECTOR BARS WERE NOT PROVIDING ACCURATE INFO. FINALLY RPTR DISCOVERED THAT THE COURSE BAR WAS NOT SET FOR THE INBOUND COURSE. FO HAD NOTICED THE COURSE SET, BUT DIDN'T QUESTION THE CAPT THINKING HE HAD IT SET FOR A REASON. ACFT PROBABLY DEVIATED FROM COURSE ON PARALLEL APCHS.

Narrative: PROB AROSE WHEN INTERCEPTING LOC LEVEL AT 5000 FT AND CLRED FOR APCH. AUTOPLT WAS ENGAGED AND APCH MODE SELECTED. WE CROSSED THROUGH LOC WITHOUT CAPTURING IT. I TURNED ACFT IN CTL WHEEL STEERING MODE TO RE-INTERCEPT -- IT DIDN'T. I TURNED OFF AUTOPLT TO HAND-FLY APCH AND FOLLOW FLT DIRECTOR BARS AND IT AGAIN WENT THROUGH LOC. I TURNED MY EHSI, ELECTRONIC HORIZ SIT INDICATOR, TO LOC MODE FROM MISSED APCH MODE AND DISCOVERED THE COURSE BAR WAS NOT TURNED TO THE PROPER INBOUND COURSE. SET CORRECT INBOUND HEADING IN AND IT WORKED FINE. IN SETTING UP FOR APCH THE SETTING OF THE COURSE WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED. WHEN THE FO DID THE CHKLIST, HE SAID HE SAW IT WASN'T SET PROPERLY BUT DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING BECAUSE HE THOUGHT I WAS USING IT FOR SOMETHING ELSE. HOW FAR WE DEVIATED OFF COURSE I'M NOT SURE, BUT PARALLEL APCHS WERE IN EFFECT AND WE PROBABLY GOT CLOSE TO THE OTHER LOC. WE WERE AT DIFFERENT ALTS FROM THE OTHER ACFT. ATC DID NOT QUESTION US. FO WAS ALSO GETTING CONFUSED ON WHEN TO SWITCH TO THE TWR FREQ FROM APCH CTL. THEY DO IT EARLY AT ORD WHEN PARALLEL APCHS ARE IN USE. I LEARNED ONCE AGAIN TO DOUBLE CHK EVERYTHING.

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.