Narrative:

We were cleared for the visual approach to runway 28 into atlanta. The first officer was flying and he armed the approach. He was intercepting the final course about 5 mi outside of the FAF with about a 20 degree intercept angle (we were heading about 300 degrees to intercept) while slowing the airplane. While the first officer had armed the approach; he had a combination of speed and intercept angle that was too great for the autoplt. I stated he needed to start turning. Very shortly thereafter (a few seconds); I realized we were going to overshoot the final course; so I immediately took the flight controls and initiated a 45 degree bank angle turn to the left to return the airplane to the final approach course. As we were in the turn; the TCAS stated 'traffic; traffic' (once) as there was an MD80 on approach to runway 27L. I do not believe we went full scale off to the right of course; but I am not sure as I was hand flying a steep banked turn at the time. Neither ATC nor the other aircraft made any comment; and there was no RA. I returned the controls to the first officer and the rest of the approach was uneventful. Root cause was the inexperience of the first officer with visual approachs. I could have also taken the controls sooner; however; I believe that separation was not compromised and we were in visual conditions.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: E145 CAPTAIN ASSUMES CONTROL ON ILS INTERCEPT WHEN FO DELAYS ON-COURSE TURN. TCAS TRAFFIC WARNING OCCURS FOR TRAFFIC ON PARALLEL RWY.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 28 INTO ATLANTA. THE FO WAS FLYING AND HE ARMED THE APCH. HE WAS INTERCEPTING THE FINAL COURSE ABOUT 5 MI OUTSIDE OF THE FAF WITH ABOUT A 20 DEG INTERCEPT ANGLE (WE WERE HEADING ABOUT 300 DEGS TO INTERCEPT) WHILE SLOWING THE AIRPLANE. WHILE THE FO HAD ARMED THE APCH; HE HAD A COMBINATION OF SPD AND INTERCEPT ANGLE THAT WAS TOO GREAT FOR THE AUTOPLT. I STATED HE NEEDED TO START TURNING. VERY SHORTLY THEREAFTER (A FEW SECONDS); I REALIZED WE WERE GOING TO OVERSHOOT THE FINAL COURSE; SO I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE FLT CTLS AND INITIATED A 45 DEG BANK ANGLE TURN TO THE L TO RETURN THE AIRPLANE TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. AS WE WERE IN THE TURN; THE TCAS STATED 'TFC; TFC' (ONCE) AS THERE WAS AN MD80 ON APCH TO RWY 27L. I DO NOT BELIEVE WE WENT FULL SCALE OFF TO THE R OF COURSE; BUT I AM NOT SURE AS I WAS HAND FLYING A STEEP BANKED TURN AT THE TIME. NEITHER ATC NOR THE OTHER ACFT MADE ANY COMMENT; AND THERE WAS NO RA. I RETURNED THE CTLS TO THE FO AND THE REST OF THE APCH WAS UNEVENTFUL. ROOT CAUSE WAS THE INEXPERIENCE OF THE FO WITH VISUAL APCHS. I COULD HAVE ALSO TAKEN THE CTLS SOONER; HOWEVER; I BELIEVE THAT SEPARATION WAS NOT COMPROMISED AND WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS.

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.