Date: 201507
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: SCT.TRACON, CA
Flight conditions: IMC
Weather elements / visibility: Cloudy
Light: Dawn
Aircraft: Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Initial Approach
Airspace: Class B SCT
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness; Training / Qualification
Anomaly: Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural FAR; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: 'During our initial approach to intercept the final approach course of the ILS approach and prior to the final approach fix; we were given a heading to intercept and were cleared for the approach. At this point; I would have been usually arming approach mode for the approach; but noticed that the pilot flying was still in heading mode. I mentioned they needed to bring up 'green needles'; arm the approach mode and prepare to capture the inbound course. They acknowledge they were going to do so but wanted to intercept initially in 'white needles' for a more stable intercept prior to the final approach fix. The course line was slowly coming in but still the approach mode had not been armed and I assumed they would turn inbound with heading mode in order to capture and proceed inbound. It was at this moment that we passed through the course and I firmly instructed them to turn off the auto pilot and turn right to recapture the inbound course. This was done and it was at this point that the approach controller questioned our direction of flight. We advised them that we were turning back to intercept. They told us to advise when we were re-established and stabilized on the approach. We were re-established on the approach at the final approach fix without any terrain or traffic conflicts and were configured for landing and advised the controller. We switched to tower control and were cleared to land. We landed and arrived at our gate without further incident. I believe the root cause of the error began with the flying pilots level of familiarity with the automation. I also believe that my initial communication and direction to arm the approach mode may have distracted the pilot flying as well. Even though the approach had been briefed well prior to the approach; this event may have been avoided if I as the non-flying pilot and Captain had been quicker to catch the automation controls and correct it on my own. I felt I should have been more firm in my actions as opposed to allowing the events to play out. For the pilot monitoring position; it can sometimes become a fine line between monitoring and over riding the controls. '




Synopsis: CRJ-200 Captain reported the flying First Officer flew through the localizer on an approach apparently because of lack of familiarity with the autoflight systems.