Narrative:

There was a strong crosswind at iad that apparently the autoplt could not handle in a 25 degree angle of bank intercept at 060 degree heading at 12 NM from runway 1L. The autoplt overshot as it attempted the intercept and we came within 1.5 NM from runway 1R traffic which we kept in sight the whole time. Autoplt overshot intercept to ILS runway 1L at 3000 ft. We disengaged the autoplt to get on the course for runway 1L. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this captain admitted that he, probably should not have tried to use an automatic-intercept in these conditions, but he had just come off the B767 and it probably would have handled it. He said, that he also should have reacted quicker to the overshoot, but he wanted to see what the aircraft would do. The WX was good and the parallel traffic was in sight. Responding to this analyst's questioning, the reporter said that he knew of this autoplt's limitations, but he decided to see what would happen. He saw the other airliner approaching runway 1R throughout the maneuver.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AIRLINE MD82 FLC OVERSHOT THE FINAL APCH COURSE WHILE PERFORMING AN AUTO-APCH IN A HIGH-ANGLE-OFF INTERCEPT IN A STRONG XWIND.

Narrative: THERE WAS A STRONG XWIND AT IAD THAT APPARENTLY THE AUTOPLT COULD NOT HANDLE IN A 25 DEG ANGLE OF BANK INTERCEPT AT 060 DEG HDG AT 12 NM FROM RWY 1L. THE AUTOPLT OVERSHOT AS IT ATTEMPTED THE INTERCEPT AND WE CAME WITHIN 1.5 NM FROM RWY 1R TFC WHICH WE KEPT IN SIGHT THE WHOLE TIME. AUTOPLT OVERSHOT INTERCEPT TO ILS RWY 1L AT 3000 FT. WE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPLT TO GET ON THE COURSE FOR RWY 1L. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS CAPT ADMITTED THAT HE, PROBABLY SHOULD NOT HAVE TRIED TO USE AN AUTO-INTERCEPT IN THESE CONDITIONS, BUT HE HAD JUST COME OFF THE B767 AND IT PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HANDLED IT. HE SAID, THAT HE ALSO SHOULD HAVE REACTED QUICKER TO THE OVERSHOOT, BUT HE WANTED TO SEE WHAT THE ACFT WOULD DO. THE WX WAS GOOD AND THE PARALLEL TFC WAS IN SIGHT. RESPONDING TO THIS ANALYST'S QUESTIONING, THE RPTR SAID THAT HE KNEW OF THIS AUTOPLT'S LIMITATIONS, BUT HE DECIDED TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. HE SAW THE OTHER AIRLINER APCHING RWY 1R THROUGHOUT THE MANEUVER.

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.