Narrative:

We were cleared direct the maspeth gas tanks for the expressway visual. Very sharp 'new hire' was PF. In my estimation, good experience for first officer, and learning opportunity, as wind was practically right down the runway. As we took up the 085 degree heading at the tanks, I was basically 'heads down' as PNF monitoring vfe speeds, gear extension, checklists, etc. First officer expressed confidence in orientation on the published visual. First officer soon asked 'where is our traffic?' and almost simultaneously the controller asked if we were still following the expressway visual. At this time we were also in moderate turbulence. This is when I went totally 'heads up' to find we had gone past the recommended turning point for the base leg for runway 31. The tower then turned traffic inside us, gave us headings and vectors for a go around. The traffic the first officer thought we were sequenced on had apparently not been a factor, except for a wake turbulence advisory (B757?). In hindsight, I should not have equated the first officer's superb aircraft skills with ability to handle the intricacies of flying a challenging visual approach in a high-density environment with gusty winds. All contributed to a classic 'overload' situation. I flew the second approach myself to a successful (albeit firm) landing. To conclude, although line capts are encouraged to be mentors and instructors, we must pay strict attention to the limitations of even the most savvy and competent newcomers until we are sure of their abilities.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CREW DEPARTS FROM EXPRESSWAY VISUAL AT LGA, NY, UNTIL QUESTIONED BY TWR.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT THE MASPETH GAS TANKS FOR THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL. VERY SHARP 'NEW HIRE' WAS PF. IN MY ESTIMATION, GOOD EXPERIENCE FOR FO, AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITY, AS WIND WAS PRACTICALLY RIGHT DOWN THE RWY. AS WE TOOK UP THE 085 DEG HDG AT THE TANKS, I WAS BASICALLY 'HEADS DOWN' AS PNF MONITORING VFE SPDS, GEAR EXTENSION, CHKLISTS, ETC. FO EXPRESSED CONFIDENCE IN ORIENTATION ON THE PUBLISHED VISUAL. FO SOON ASKED 'WHERE IS OUR TFC?' AND ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY THE CTLR ASKED IF WE WERE STILL FOLLOWING THE EXPRESSWAY VISUAL. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ALSO IN MODERATE TURB. THIS IS WHEN I WENT TOTALLY 'HEADS UP' TO FIND WE HAD GONE PAST THE RECOMMENDED TURNING POINT FOR THE BASE LEG FOR RWY 31. THE TWR THEN TURNED TFC INSIDE US, GAVE US HEADINGS AND VECTORS FOR A GAR. THE TFC THE FO THOUGHT WE WERE SEQUENCED ON HAD APPARENTLY NOT BEEN A FACTOR, EXCEPT FOR A WAKE TURB ADVISORY (B757?). IN HINDSIGHT, I SHOULD NOT HAVE EQUATED THE FO'S SUPERB ACFT SKILLS WITH ABILITY TO HANDLE THE INTRICACIES OF FLYING A CHALLENGING VISUAL APCH IN A HIGH-DENSITY ENVIRONMENT WITH GUSTY WINDS. ALL CONTRIBUTED TO A CLASSIC 'OVERLOAD' SIT. I FLEW THE SECOND APCH MYSELF TO A SUCCESSFUL (ALBEIT FIRM) LNDG. TO CONCLUDE, ALTHOUGH LINE CAPTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BE MENTORS AND INSTRUCTORS, WE MUST PAY STRICT ATTN TO THE LIMITATIONS OF EVEN THE MOST SAVVY AND COMPETENT NEWCOMERS UNTIL WE ARE SURE OF THEIR ABILITIES.

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.