B757 flight crew complaint of approach controller handling of arrival by changing the runway depende...

Attributes
ACN	542718
Time
Date	200203
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : mirek
State Reference	NV
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 208 flight time total : 7799 flight time type : 1251
ASRS Report	542718
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : l30.tracon

Narrative:

I was the PF on mar/xa/02, flight XXX, into las. We were in cruise. We were filed for and planning on the mirok arrival. The ATIS had indicated runway 25L arrival and then changed to runway 1L/right. We queried the center controller. They told us to plan on runway 25L. These arrs are runway dependent. We were assigned a lower altitude and changed to the lynse arrival runway 25L. We were then changed back to the mirok and told to descend via the mirok. We were just a short distance from the first fix after pgs and then we were given the lynse runway 1R. I was programming this in while the LNAV was starting its turn to the fix after pgs. Then we were switched to approach and they gave us a turn to the left over 100 degrees to our left, but then no altitude instructions. Our last altitude was descend via the mirok then switched to the lynse for runway 1R. If you are confused so were we. VNAV was engaged and descending via the lynse and after the turn from approach they finally gave us an altitude to descend to. Approach then told us to plan on runway 1R and gave us vectors for that runway and told us to intercept the 190 degree radial. As we were closing on runway 1R, we were switched to runway 1L. This whole experience was chaotic and confusing. What's the point of runway dependent arrs and descend via clrncs if you are changed 4 times and never end up flying any of them? We spent way too much time heads down in the box. The controllers spent way too much time talking and overctling. I think unless something really drastic is happening at the airport, when you check in with ZLA they should give you the runway and arrival procedure and then prior to your top of descent give you the descend via clearance. Approach should be on the same sheet of music as center and then all they have to do is monitor your progress. If this keeps up in las somebody is going to miss a turn or an altitude and it's going to cause a problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC COMPLAINT OF APCH CTLR HANDLING OF ARR BY CHANGING THE RWY DEPENDENT ARR RTE 4 TIMES AND THEN ENDING WITH VECTORS TO THE 5TH RWY ASSIGNMENT. THIS CAUSED MANY PROC CHANGES BEFORE OVERSHOOTING THE FIX.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF ON MAR/XA/02, FLT XXX, INTO LAS. WE WERE IN CRUISE. WE WERE FILED FOR AND PLANNING ON THE MIROK ARR. THE ATIS HAD INDICATED RWY 25L ARR AND THEN CHANGED TO RWY 1L/R. WE QUERIED THE CTR CTLR. THEY TOLD US TO PLAN ON RWY 25L. THESE ARRS ARE RWY DEPENDENT. WE WERE ASSIGNED A LOWER ALT AND CHANGED TO THE LYNSE ARR RWY 25L. WE WERE THEN CHANGED BACK TO THE MIROK AND TOLD TO DSND VIA THE MIROK. WE WERE JUST A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE FIRST FIX AFTER PGS AND THEN WE WERE GIVEN THE LYNSE RWY 1R. I WAS PROGRAMMING THIS IN WHILE THE LNAV WAS STARTING ITS TURN TO THE FIX AFTER PGS. THEN WE WERE SWITCHED TO APCH AND THEY GAVE US A TURN TO THE L OVER 100 DEGS TO OUR L, BUT THEN NO ALT INSTRUCTIONS. OUR LAST ALT WAS DSND VIA THE MIROK THEN SWITCHED TO THE LYNSE FOR RWY 1R. IF YOU ARE CONFUSED SO WERE WE. VNAV WAS ENGAGED AND DSNDING VIA THE LYNSE AND AFTER THE TURN FROM APCH THEY FINALLY GAVE US AN ALT TO DSND TO. APCH THEN TOLD US TO PLAN ON RWY 1R AND GAVE US VECTORS FOR THAT RWY AND TOLD US TO INTERCEPT THE 190 DEG RADIAL. AS WE WERE CLOSING ON RWY 1R, WE WERE SWITCHED TO RWY 1L. THIS WHOLE EXPERIENCE WAS CHAOTIC AND CONFUSING. WHAT'S THE POINT OF RWY DEPENDENT ARRS AND DSND VIA CLRNCS IF YOU ARE CHANGED 4 TIMES AND NEVER END UP FLYING ANY OF THEM? WE SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME HEADS DOWN IN THE BOX. THE CTLRS SPENT WAY TOO MUCH TIME TALKING AND OVERCTLING. I THINK UNLESS SOMETHING REALLY DRASTIC IS HAPPENING AT THE ARPT, WHEN YOU CHK IN WITH ZLA THEY SHOULD GIVE YOU THE RWY AND ARR PROC AND THEN PRIOR TO YOUR TOP OF DSCNT GIVE YOU THE DSND VIA CLRNC. APCH SHOULD BE ON THE SAME SHEET OF MUSIC AS CTR AND THEN ALL THEY HAVE TO DO IS MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS. IF THIS KEEPS UP IN LAS SOMEBODY IS GOING TO MISS A TURN OR AN ALT AND IT'S GOING TO CAUSE A PROB.

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.

B757 flight crew complaint of approach controller handling of arrival by changing the runway dependent arrival route 4 times and then ending with vectors to the 5TH runway assignment. This caused many procedure changes before overshooting the fix.