B777 flight crew is assigned RIIVR1 arrival to lax without runway. Flight crew assumes runway 24R in...

Attributes
ACN	779546
Time
Date	200803
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 9000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : riivr
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	779546
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to assigned altitude flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

For the arrival into lax we briefed and setup for the riivr one arrival/palac transition to runway 24R. The ATIS indicated lndgs were being conducted to runway 24R and runway 25L. We were cleared to descend via the riivr one arrival; but were not given a runway assignment. As we passed habso; we were still at 14000 ft; and were concerned that we could not be able to comply with the published step-downs. Once we received our clearance to descend; we had to rush to comply with the arrival procedure. This late clearance forced us to expedite our descent; and as we descended through 9000 ft; we received an unexpected directive from approach control to level off at 9000 ft. Though we had already descended below 9000 ft in our attempt to reach 7000 ft at palac; we complied and climbed back to 9000 ft. We queried the controller about our runway assignment; and he responded we were cleared runway 25L. This was a change in our original clearance as we understood; and we were forced to reload the waypoints for the new runway. When we identified the field visually; we were given a visual to runway 25L. We then switched to tower and made an uneventful landing. Later we contacted socal TRACON. The operation officer confirmed there was no violation or conflict. To our dismay; they advised us that runway 25L is always the default runway; unless assigned another runway.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B777 FLT CREW IS ASSIGNED RIIVR1 ARRIVAL TO LAX WITHOUT RWY. FLC ASSUMES RWY 24R INCORRECTLY AND IS VECTORED FOR VISUAL TO RWY 25L. DESCENT IS STOPPED BY SCT AT 9000 FT.

Narrative: FOR THE ARR INTO LAX WE BRIEFED AND SETUP FOR THE RIIVR ONE ARR/PALAC TRANSITION TO RWY 24R. THE ATIS INDICATED LNDGS WERE BEING CONDUCTED TO RWY 24R AND RWY 25L. WE WERE CLRED TO DESCEND VIA THE RIIVR ONE ARR; BUT WERE NOT GIVEN A RWY ASSIGNMENT. AS WE PASSED HABSO; WE WERE STILL AT 14000 FT; AND WERE CONCERNED THAT WE COULD NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLY WITH THE PUBLISHED STEP-DOWNS. ONCE WE RECEIVED OUR CLRNC TO DESCEND; WE HAD TO RUSH TO COMPLY WITH THE ARR PROC. THIS LATE CLRNC FORCED US TO EXPEDITE OUR DESCENT; AND AS WE DESCENDED THROUGH 9000 FT; WE RECEIVED AN UNEXPECTED DIRECTIVE FROM APCH CTL TO LEVEL OFF AT 9000 FT. THOUGH WE HAD ALREADY DESCENDED BELOW 9000 FT IN OUR ATTEMPT TO REACH 7000 FT AT PALAC; WE COMPLIED AND CLBED BACK TO 9000 FT. WE QUERIED THE CTLR ABOUT OUR RWY ASSIGNMENT; AND HE RESPONDED WE WERE CLRED RWY 25L. THIS WAS A CHANGE IN OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC AS WE UNDERSTOOD; AND WE WERE FORCED TO RELOAD THE WAYPOINTS FOR THE NEW RWY. WHEN WE IDENTIFIED THE FIELD VISUALLY; WE WERE GIVEN A VISUAL TO RWY 25L. WE THEN SWITCHED TO TWR AND MADE AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. LATER WE CONTACTED SOCAL TRACON. THE OPERATION OFFICER CONFIRMED THERE WAS NO VIOLATION OR CONFLICT. TO OUR DISMAY; THEY ADVISED US THAT RWY 25L IS ALWAYS THE DEFAULT RWY; UNLESS ASSIGNED ANOTHER RWY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.

B777 flight crew is assigned RIIVR1 arrival to lax without runway. Flight crew assumes runway 24R incorrectly and is vectored for visual to runway 25L. Descent is stopped by sct at 9000 ft.