Narrative:

On arrival into clt airport at approximately XA30, we were cleared by approach control for a visual approach to runway 23 to follow another aircraft which was at our 10:30-11 O'clock position. We were then cleared to tower frequency. The first officer was flying the aircraft. I was the PNF. I contacted the tower before the aircraft aligned with the runway centerline or localizer. We were on a modified left base with approximately 45-50 degree heading from the final approach course. Before reaching the runway extended line, I spotted another aircraft's lights which appeared to be on a right base leg to runway 23. I diverted my attention to this aircraft which was actually on final approach to runway 18L on a converging approach. I did not notice when the aircraft crossed through the runway centerline and localizer until the tower brought the situation to my attention. The tower offered us a visual approach and landing clearance to runway 18L. We were in good position for the approach and accepted the landing clearance on runway 18L. There was no conflict with other aircraft, but there could have been. The closest TCASII contact was over 2 mi away. I feel that there were 2 factors involved in this deviation. 1) the first officer had very little experience in multi engine, instrument, transport operations. He had approximately 300 hours in multi engine aircraft and was only recently checked out in the dash 8. Training concentrated on company procedures and emergency procedures. I failed to recognize this at the time. 2) I was tired. It had been 11 hours since I had left home. We need new crew rest regulations which consider varied report times and cycles plus reasonable duty times.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DASH 8 CREW FLEW THROUGH LOC ON APCH TO CLT DUE TFC DISTRS. NO CONFLICTS. NEW RWY AND LNDG CLRNC GIVEN.

Narrative: ON ARR INTO CLT ARPT AT APPROX XA30, WE WERE CLRED BY APCH CTL FOR A VISUAL APCH TO RWY 23 TO FOLLOW ANOTHER ACFT WHICH WAS AT OUR 10:30-11 O'CLOCK POS. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO TWR FREQ. THE FO WAS FLYING THE ACFT. I WAS THE PNF. I CONTACTED THE TWR BEFORE THE ACFT ALIGNED WITH THE RWY CTRLINE OR LOC. WE WERE ON A MODIFIED L BASE WITH APPROX 45-50 DEG HDG FROM THE FINAL APCH COURSE. BEFORE REACHING THE RWY EXTENDED LINE, I SPOTTED ANOTHER ACFT'S LIGHTS WHICH APPEARED TO BE ON A R BASE LEG TO RWY 23. I DIVERTED MY ATTN TO THIS ACFT WHICH WAS ACTUALLY ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 18L ON A CONVERGING APCH. I DID NOT NOTICE WHEN THE ACFT CROSSED THROUGH THE RWY CTRLINE AND LOC UNTIL THE TWR BROUGHT THE SIT TO MY ATTN. THE TWR OFFERED US A VISUAL APCH AND LNDG CLRNC TO RWY 18L. WE WERE IN GOOD POS FOR THE APCH AND ACCEPTED THE LNDG CLRNC ON RWY 18L. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER ACFT, BUT THERE COULD HAVE BEEN. THE CLOSEST TCASII CONTACT WAS OVER 2 MI AWAY. I FEEL THAT THERE WERE 2 FACTORS INVOLVED IN THIS DEV. 1) THE FO HAD VERY LITTLE EXPERIENCE IN MULTI ENG, INST, TRANSPORT OPS. HE HAD APPROX 300 HRS IN MULTI ENG ACFT AND WAS ONLY RECENTLY CHKED OUT IN THE DASH 8. TRAINING CONCENTRATED ON COMPANY PROCS AND EMER PROCS. I FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THIS AT THE TIME. 2) I WAS TIRED. IT HAD BEEN 11 HRS SINCE I HAD LEFT HOME. WE NEED NEW CREW REST REGS WHICH CONSIDER VARIED RPT TIMES AND CYCLES PLUS REASONABLE DUTY TIMES.

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.