B737-700
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 286
Situational Awareness
Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Issued Advisory / Alert; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Weather
We received an initial clearance for a right turn to 020 degree heading; maintain 2;000 until established; cleared for the ILS Runway 04 Approach at HOU.  The Captain was the PF (pilot flying) and established the aircraft on a 020 heading.  At this point; we were fully configured and had an approximate tailwind of 28 knots on the base.  The Controller asked us to adjust our heading to 010 degrees for the intercept.  Upon looking back inside from attempting to acquire the proceeding aircraft; I recognized we had flown through the LOC and asked the Captain to come right to intercept the final. The autopilot and autothrottles were disengaged to facilitate a timely course correction. In recognizing the error of no course capture; it was realized the #1 VHF NAV was not tuned to the LOC frequency but the #2 VHF NAV was tuned. As the #1 VHF radio was tuned we descended through the glideslope; the deviation was noted and the PF corrected promptly. The PF established us on the LOC and glideslope promptly and made an uneventful landing.   The weather was reporting VMC on the ATIS and we had the field visually on downwind and final; however; due to approaching weather and previous weather at the field we should have briefed an instrument (ILS approach).  As the PM (pilot monitoring) I did not verify the #1 VHF NAV set properly for the LOC and failed to catch this until the aircraft flew through the LOC and commanded a right turn to re-intercept the final.  Momentarily heads down to tune the ILS frequency and with a fully configured airplane we now allowed the aircraft to descend below the glideslope but trapped our error and adjusted the flight path as needed.  The number one takeaway is to ensure both VHF NAVs are properly set prior to the approach and ensure electronic guidance is always available to the maximum extent possible. The late tuning of the #1 VHF NAV put the Crew collectively behind.  Although deliberate and positive corrections were being applied and the airport and flight path were VMC; once the error was recognized it would have been more prudent to command a go-around as soon as deviations from prescribed parameters were not satisfied.
Destination weather was 600 scattered 14;000 BKN; winds 160/08. Downwind approach to Runway 04 had the airport in sight. Vectored outside ELREN and turned base descending through 4;500 feet. Winds were 270/29. Assigned airspeed of 190. Got configured on base; turned to 020; intercept the Localizer; was high; went into a broken layer; and called for flaps 40; while slowing. ND showed intercepting localizer outside ELREN. Tower asked if we were going to make it and turned us left to 010 to intercept. Localizer didn't capture as we crossed course at ELREN. Pilot monitoring (PM) called out 'no intercept.' I looked down and saw I didn't have the Localizer switched over. Turned to 040 to center up the purple line on the ND while dialing in the ILS. Winds had now switched around to the southeast in the BKN layer. Crossed over ELREN with the ND centered; no Localizer capture; PM said I needed to come right. Started a right turn; and broke out of BKN layer left of course at 800. Corrected back to centerline and glidepath. I had a false glideslope; and had gotten low; Localizer didn't capture; after correcting to centerline; and glideslope. Go-around instead of trying to fly the ND while dialing in the ILS regardless of the VFR conditions at the airport.
B737 flight crew encounters scattered clouds during a visual approach requiring ILS information which had not been tuned in on the Captain's side. An overshoot and descent below glidepath both occur while the ILS is tuned in; resulting in an unstabilized approach.