Narrative:

We were on the arrival told to plan runway 26R (twice). The atl arrival (RNAV) is runway specific. We were inside the 'changeover point' when the controller told us to expect runway 27L. When the first officer loaded the FMC; it kept atl VOR as the active waypoint since the runway 27L RNAV transition was behind us. I watched him put runway 27L in the FMC and didn't notice the incongruity. The aircraft went straight ahead to atl and then into heading hold. Basically; the controller wanted us to rejoin the arrival; but didn't tell us how. The first officer didn't see the route discontinuity in the FMS (probably should have) and I went 'heads down' to change charts. I was also trying to verify a descent clearance and couldn't break in the conversation. Approach finally asked us where we were going and I told him we didn't know. Several problems: 1) the controller changed approachs past the common point on the arrival. 2) first officer should have caught it when he loaded it. 3) I shouldn't have gone heads down till I verified the 'finished' FMC product. (First officer put in everything exactly right and I saw him execute it; but should have seen too many lines on the screen.)

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF FMS EQUIPPED WDB EXPERIENCE TRACK DEV AND CONFUSION WHEN ATL APCH CTL CHANGES RWY WITHOUT SPECIFYING A MEANS BY WHICH TO INTERCEPT THE ASSOCIATED ARRIVAL.

Narrative: WE WERE ON THE ARR TOLD TO PLAN RWY 26R (TWICE). THE ATL ARR (RNAV) IS RWY SPECIFIC. WE WERE INSIDE THE 'CHANGEOVER POINT' WHEN THE CTLR TOLD US TO EXPECT RWY 27L. WHEN THE FO LOADED THE FMC; IT KEPT ATL VOR AS THE ACTIVE WAYPOINT SINCE THE RWY 27L RNAV TRANSITION WAS BEHIND US. I WATCHED HIM PUT RWY 27L IN THE FMC AND DIDN'T NOTICE THE INCONGRUITY. THE ACFT WENT STRAIGHT AHEAD TO ATL AND THEN INTO HDG HOLD. BASICALLY; THE CTLR WANTED US TO REJOIN THE ARR; BUT DIDN'T TELL US HOW. THE FO DIDN'T SEE THE RTE DISCONTINUITY IN THE FMS (PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE) AND I WENT 'HEADS DOWN' TO CHANGE CHARTS. I WAS ALSO TRYING TO VERIFY A DSCNT CLRNC AND COULDN'T BREAK IN THE CONVERSATION. APCH FINALLY ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING AND I TOLD HIM WE DIDN'T KNOW. SEVERAL PROBS: 1) THE CTLR CHANGED APCHS PAST THE COMMON POINT ON THE ARR. 2) FO SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT IT WHEN HE LOADED IT. 3) I SHOULDN'T HAVE GONE HEADS DOWN TILL I VERIFIED THE 'FINISHED' FMC PRODUCT. (FO PUT IN EVERYTHING EXACTLY RIGHT AND I SAW HIM EXECUTE IT; BUT SHOULD HAVE SEEN TOO MANY LINES ON THE SCREEN.)

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.