Date: 201303
Local time of day: 1201-1800
Location: ATL.Airport, GA
Flight conditions: VMC
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B ATL
ATC / advisory: TRACON A80
Aircraft component: Autoflight System
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Human-Machine Interface
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification; Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Procedure; Human Factors; Chart Or Publication
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: When we got the ATL ATIS eastbound visual approaches were being advertised so; expecting a visual to Runway 10 from our arrival; we set up and briefed the visual to Runway 10 backed up with the ILS. While on the CANUK2 arrival; we checked on with Atlanta Approach. We were told to expect the RNAV Visual to Runway 8L and to fly the 8L transition. We loaded the RNV08L into the FMS and reviewed the 'Attention All Users' page from our Commercial Charts. We followed all ATC instructions and the approach was going smoothly until we got to the CWOWN fix on the approach. This is the fix where the approach turns southbound from the downwind leg to the base leg. We immediately noticed the FMS wasn't sequencing correctly and the aircraft overflew the CWOWN fix and continued on the downwind course. Just as we were about to notify ATC of the issue; Atlanta Approach advised us that he saw that we didn't make the turn and gave us a vector towards the south. The Controller vectored us to the final; and asked us what the issue was. We advised him that our FMS failed to sequence the waypoints properly and didn't follow the course as it was supposed to. He told us that this has been a common problem with other aircraft and he presumed that was the situation with us. I instructed my First Officer to set 109.3 into my NAV radio; I went to 'green needles'; and manually set the approach course on my side to the inbound course for the localizer to Runway 8L. The Approach Controller told us 'no problem'; vectored us onto the localizer; and cleared us for the visual approach to Runway 8L. We landed; taxied to the gate; and the flight concluded uneventfully.There was quite a bit of confusion pertaining to this approach procedure with other aircraft on frequency; from a variety of different airlines. Some aircraft told ATC that they didn't have this procedure in their FMS and couldn't accept it. Until this gets sorted out; I'll probably elect to tell ATC the same and utilize a different approach procedure.




Synopsis: Cleared for an RNAV Visual approach to Runway 8L at ATL; the autoflight system of their CRJ-200 failed to turn the base leg. The flight crew disconnected the autopilot; advised ATC; and flew an ILS backed up approach to an uneventful landing. ATC advised other aircraft had experienced similar failures.