Narrative:

Upon starting descent on the rdu STAR, washington center advised us that the ATIS had changed, that the runway had changed and gave us a new altitude setting. I was the PNF and went to get new ATIS. I came back and advised PF that there was nothing new to report except for a new ATIS code and altitude change. I did not follow up with the PF and verify that he had understood the runway had changed or follow up to see that he had changed the FMC to the new runway. We got handed off to the next controller, who gave us a clearance to final approach fix of runway 23. I thought that the PF had put in the new runway and punched the 'bac' to proceed direct to the point as requested. Approach came up about 2 mi later and asked if we were going direct to the point for runway 23. I responded that we were and proceeded to check the FMC, what we were doing was going to the final approach for runway 5. He immediately made corrective action toward the correct fix and thanked the approach controller for his help. There were no other aircraft in our vicinity, we made no aircraft changes to avoid other aircraft. The situation could have been avoided if the PNF did what he was supposed to do when a new ATIS and runway change occurs. That is verify that the PF understood the change and backed him up by ensuring the FMC was changed to the new runway to be used. In this situation, the PNF assumed the PF heard and understood there was a runway change. The PNF did not write out a new napkin, he only vocalized the change to PF.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300 LNDG RDU FAILS TO UPDATE FMC WITH NEW RWY INFO.

Narrative: UPON STARTING DSCNT ON THE RDU STAR, WASHINGTON CTR ADVISED US THAT THE ATIS HAD CHANGED, THAT THE RWY HAD CHANGED AND GAVE US A NEW ALT SETTING. I WAS THE PNF AND WENT TO GET NEW ATIS. I CAME BACK AND ADVISED PF THAT THERE WAS NOTHING NEW TO RPT EXCEPT FOR A NEW ATIS CODE AND ALT CHANGE. I DID NOT FOLLOW UP WITH THE PF AND VERIFY THAT HE HAD UNDERSTOOD THE RWY HAD CHANGED OR FOLLOW UP TO SEE THAT HE HAD CHANGED THE FMC TO THE NEW RWY. WE GOT HANDED OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR, WHO GAVE US A CLRNC TO FINAL APCH FIX OF RWY 23. I THOUGHT THAT THE PF HAD PUT IN THE NEW RWY AND PUNCHED THE 'BAC' TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE POINT AS REQUESTED. APCH CAME UP ABOUT 2 MI LATER AND ASKED IF WE WERE GOING DIRECT TO THE POINT FOR RWY 23. I RESPONDED THAT WE WERE AND PROCEEDED TO CHK THE FMC, WHAT WE WERE DOING WAS GOING TO THE FINAL APCH FOR RWY 5. HE IMMEDIATELY MADE CORRECTIVE ACTION TOWARD THE CORRECT FIX AND THANKED THE APCH CTLR FOR HIS HELP. THERE WERE NO OTHER ACFT IN OUR VICINITY, WE MADE NO ACFT CHANGES TO AVOID OTHER ACFT. THE SIT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE PNF DID WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO WHEN A NEW ATIS AND RWY CHANGE OCCURS. THAT IS VERIFY THAT THE PF UNDERSTOOD THE CHANGE AND BACKED HIM UP BY ENSURING THE FMC WAS CHANGED TO THE NEW RWY TO BE USED. IN THIS SIT, THE PNF ASSUMED THE PF HEARD AND UNDERSTOOD THERE WAS A RWY CHANGE. THE PNF DID NOT WRITE OUT A NEW NAPKIN, HE ONLY VOCALIZED THE CHANGE TO PF.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.