Airbus crew loses navigation display when they program their FMS incorrectly.

Attributes
ACN	468740
Time
Date	200004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 16500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A320
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : pdz
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 114 flight time total : 20187 flight time type : 114
ASRS Report	468740
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

I was flying the pdz arrival into lax. The approach controller gave us the clearance to descend on the arrival, as well as the runway assignment. The first officer changed the runway in the multi control display unit (FMC). When he did this, the pictorial display on my navigation display disappeared. This provided for a few anxious mins as we tried to rebuild the arrival route on the FMC and navigation display. Factors and explanation: on the airbus, if you change the runway without reinputting the appropriate arrival, you lose the arrival. Next time, we will be more careful. In the approach briefing, I had discussed and demonstrated using the secondary flight plan function for changes. However, the clearance came at the last min, and the first officer elected to make the changes on the primary flight plan. Next time I will also back up my fancy computer navigation information with secondary navigation functions, ie, hard tuned vors. The first officer and I are both relatively new on the airplane, and neither of us had seen this situation before. Now we know.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIRBUS CREW LOSES NAV DISPLAY WHEN THEY PROGRAM THEIR FMS INCORRECTLY.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING THE PDZ ARR INTO LAX. THE APCH CTLR GAVE US THE CLRNC TO DSND ON THE ARR, AS WELL AS THE RWY ASSIGNMENT. THE FO CHANGED THE RWY IN THE MULTI CTL DISPLAY UNIT (FMC). WHEN HE DID THIS, THE PICTORIAL DISPLAY ON MY NAV DISPLAY DISAPPEARED. THIS PROVIDED FOR A FEW ANXIOUS MINS AS WE TRIED TO REBUILD THE ARR RTE ON THE FMC AND NAV DISPLAY. FACTORS AND EXPLANATION: ON THE AIRBUS, IF YOU CHANGE THE RWY WITHOUT REINPUTTING THE APPROPRIATE ARR, YOU LOSE THE ARR. NEXT TIME, WE WILL BE MORE CAREFUL. IN THE APCH BRIEFING, I HAD DISCUSSED AND DEMONSTRATED USING THE SECONDARY FLT PLAN FUNCTION FOR CHANGES. HOWEVER, THE CLRNC CAME AT THE LAST MIN, AND THE FO ELECTED TO MAKE THE CHANGES ON THE PRIMARY FLT PLAN. NEXT TIME I WILL ALSO BACK UP MY FANCY COMPUTER NAV INFO WITH SECONDARY NAV FUNCTIONS, IE, HARD TUNED VORS. THE FO AND I ARE BOTH RELATIVELY NEW ON THE AIRPLANE, AND NEITHER OF US HAD SEEN THIS SIT BEFORE. NOW WE KNOW.

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.