Narrative:

Atl approach was holding all arriving aircraft due to thunderstorms and sequencing for arrival. ATIS called for approach to the west; which we briefed and set. During vectors for arrival; approach changed landing runways to the east. Radio and aircraft traffic was very heavy while we briefed for the new runway. On base to final for runway 10; we were cleared for the ILS but did not notice the inbound course was approximately 90 degrees off the correct course. During localizer intercept; approach control called conflicting traffic to our north as the autoplt continued a right turn south of course as we scanned for the conflicting traffic. When I noticed the deviation; I disconnected all automation to hand fly back to course from a point approximately 1/2 mi south of course at 20 NM from the runway. I corrected back to course to complete a normal approach and landing. Problem occurred due to task saturation causing the wrong course to be set. Corrective action was to disconnect all automation and hand fly the aircraft on raw data because the flight director was commanding a turn through the correct inbound course.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 PILOT APCHING ATL WAS ASSIGNED A WEST LNDG. FOLLOWING A WX HOLD AN EAST LNDG WAS GIVEN. THE NAV RADIOS WERE NOT SET FOR EAST CAUSING A COURSE DEV.

Narrative: ATL APCH WAS HOLDING ALL ARRIVING ACFT DUE TO TSTMS AND SEQUENCING FOR ARR. ATIS CALLED FOR APCH TO THE W; WHICH WE BRIEFED AND SET. DURING VECTORS FOR ARR; APCH CHANGED LNDG RWYS TO THE E. RADIO AND ACFT TFC WAS VERY HVY WHILE WE BRIEFED FOR THE NEW RWY. ON BASE TO FINAL FOR RWY 10; WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS BUT DID NOT NOTICE THE INBOUND COURSE WAS APPROX 90 DEGS OFF THE CORRECT COURSE. DURING LOC INTERCEPT; APCH CTL CALLED CONFLICTING TFC TO OUR N AS THE AUTOPLT CONTINUED A R TURN S OF COURSE AS WE SCANNED FOR THE CONFLICTING TFC. WHEN I NOTICED THE DEV; I DISCONNECTED ALL AUTOMATION TO HAND FLY BACK TO COURSE FROM A POINT APPROX 1/2 MI S OF COURSE AT 20 NM FROM THE RWY. I CORRECTED BACK TO COURSE TO COMPLETE A NORMAL APCH AND LNDG. PROB OCCURRED DUE TO TASK SATURATION CAUSING THE WRONG COURSE TO BE SET. CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TO DISCONNECT ALL AUTOMATION AND HAND FLY THE ACFT ON RAW DATA BECAUSE THE FLT DIRECTOR WAS COMMANDING A TURN THROUGH THE CORRECT INBOUND COURSE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.