Narrative:

I was the pilot monitoring on aircraft X from ZZZ to stl on (date). We were arriving on the aarch 2 arrival in stl; landing to the west. We were told to descend via the arrch 2 arrival landing west by the center controller. We briefed the aarch 2 and planned on a visual approach to runway 29; per the ATIS. Runway 30R was closed and the primary landing runway was 29. We knew from the previous week that we might expect a change to 30L from the final controller. Upon initial check-in with stl approach; nothing was changed from our original plan. When we checked in with the final controller; he told us to expect 30L. I immediately referenced my ipad; to change the ILS frequency; approach course; and touchdown zone altitude. When I looked up; I noticed the flight director roll mode was control wheel steering roll. I looked at the legs page on the FMC and there was a discontinuity at the top of the legs page 1 (which explains why we were in cws roll). The aircraft was tracking the proper course just fine; but since we had no lateral course; VNAV was disengaged as well. We were at 10;000'; and were still going about 280 knots. Apparently the pilot flying had changed runways in the FMC; and executed the change with a discontinuity on the legs page. He also did not notice the change in the flight director roll mode. He made these changes without verbalizing them; or asking if I concurred with the changes. Since we were not in VNAV; by the time we slowed and descended; we were 1000' to 1500' high at the eadds; oshie; and fdrko intersections. I could not get a word in edgewise to ask for relief from the controller; nor did the controller ask us about our altitude. The controller did not notify us of a loss of separation with another aircraft; and; frankly seemed too busy to notice what happened.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: Flight crew reported unable to make crossing restriction and unable to talk with ATC due to frequency congestion.

Narrative: I was the Pilot Monitoring on Aircraft X from ZZZ to STL on (date). We were arriving on the AARCH 2 Arrival in STL; landing to the west. We were told to descend via the ARRCH 2 Arrival landing west by the Center Controller. We briefed the AARCH 2 and planned on a Visual Approach to Runway 29; per the ATIS. Runway 30R was closed and the primary landing runway was 29. We knew from the previous week that we might expect a change to 30L from the Final Controller. Upon initial check-in with STL Approach; nothing was changed from our original plan. When we checked in with the Final Controller; he told us to expect 30L. I immediately referenced my iPad; to change the ILS frequency; approach course; and Touchdown Zone altitude. When I looked up; I noticed the flight director roll mode was control wheel steering roll. I looked at the legs page on the FMC and there was a discontinuity at the top of the legs page 1 (which explains why we were in CWS roll). The aircraft was tracking the proper course just fine; but since we had no lateral course; VNAV was disengaged as well. We were at 10;000'; and were still going about 280 knots. Apparently the Pilot Flying had changed runways in the FMC; and executed the change with a discontinuity on the legs page. He also did not notice the change in the flight director roll mode. He made these changes without verbalizing them; or asking if I concurred with the changes. Since we were not in VNAV; by the time we slowed and descended; we were 1000' to 1500' high at the EADDS; OSHIE; and FDRKO intersections. I could not get a word in edgewise to ask for relief from the controller; nor did the controller ask us about our altitude. The controller did not notify us of a loss of separation with another aircraft; and; frankly seemed too busy to notice what happened.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.