Date: 201707
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: CLT.Airport, NC
Light: Daylight
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 CLT
ATC / advisory: TRACON CLT
Aircraft component: Approach Coupler
Component problem: Malfunctioning
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Confusion; Situational Awareness
Second reporter function: Captain; Pilot Not Flying
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Less Severe; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Executed Go Around / Missed Approach; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; Flight Crew FLC Overrode Automation
Contributing factors: Aircraft
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: I was pilot flying. We were on a published arrival into CLT. Once ATC gave us heading vectors to swing us around to the approach end of 36L; the captain and I both switched to the localizer freq 36L and went to green needles. As we neared the localizer course; ATC gave us a final vector to join the localizer for 36L. Just as we captured the localizer; my flight director made a sudden climbing right turn off the localizer course. I immediately disconnected the autopilot and turned back left to try to recapture the localizer. Although it was just a matter of only a couple of seconds; we got a traffic alert for inbound traffic on the localizer for 36C but no RA. The controller gave us a vector for 090 but since I had already turned back to westerly heading to try to rejoin; he gave us a heading of 270 and canceled the approach clearance. At that time we reengaged the autopilot and it held the heading assignment. We quickly troubleshot the issue in attempting to figure out what caused the quick pitch and roll and could not find anything out of place.  As the controller vectored us back around for another attempt to the ILS 36L; the captain and I did a positive transfer of controls and he became PF and I PM. ATC contacted us prior to the approach and issued a phone number to copy for a possible pilot deviation. As the controller issued us another vector to join the localizer; the captain armed the NAV button. As soon as he captured the localizer; the flight director again; pitched up and to the right as before. The captain caught it quick enough and disconnected the autopilot and stayed on course on the localizer manually. As we stabilized; I noticed on my FO side; my flight director was pitched up and stuck in an upright position and I did not have the glide slope green star and it stayed that way through the approach. As we continued prior to 1000 feet; pitch/roll commands kept appearing in place of the LOC and GS on at least 2 occasions. We rearmed the approach at least 2 times before it stabilized. By the final approach course beyond 1000 feet we were stable on the captain's side and he hand flew the approach down to just above minimums doing a great job of flying after all we had just went through. During the approach; we also received CAS messages of inboard ground spoilers and spoileron faults as well as the cargo door light message was on. The captain contacted ATC as requested and briefed them on the avionics failure we had and they stated they would be submitting a report. Maintenance was called to the plane upon landing and we deplaned after the aircraft was put out of service.


Second narrative: After receiving vectors from Charlotte approach control to intercept the 36L localizer; nav was armed; coupled to the FO's side. As soon as the course captured; the flight director made a sudden; sharp turn to the right. FO disconnected the auto pilot and attempted turn back to the approach course. Due to the speed and suddenness of the turn; we inadvertently encroached into the 36C approach course resulting in a TA. Charlotte approach issued an immediate vector to turn to a 090 heading; but we had turned to approximately 290 already. The controller then issued a 270 heading to clear us from both the 36C and 36L approach paths and to resequence us for an approach. The autopilot was reengaged and seemed to function normally. I opted to take the flying pilot duties to fly the approach. After receiving a vector to intercept the 36L localizer; I armed nav. As soon as the localizer captured the flight director again started to make a sharp right turn. I immediately disconnected the auto pilot and assumed manual control to remain on course. No further attempts were made to engage the autopilot for the remainder of the flight. As I was hand flying the approach; pitch and roll commands appeared on two occasions prior to 1000 feet. I reengaged approach each time and successfully landed the aircraft. Also; during the approach; we received intermittent inboard ground spoiler and spoileron messages and several cargo door CAS messages.Charlotte approach had advised us prior to the second approach that a possible pilot deviation had occurred and provided a telephone number for the Charlotte TRACON for us to call. I called after we arrived at the gate and after a brief discussion; was told that they would be submitting a report on the incident. I advised dispatch and maintenance control of the situation and entered the discrepancies in the aircraft logbook.


Synopsis: CRJ200 flight crew reported the flight director made a sudden climbing right turn off the localizer course during approach causing their aircraft to encroach into the adjacent approach path. The second approach resulted in the same anomaly; but the crew intervened quickly.