A319 flight crew has STAR drop out of the mcdu when given a runway change during arrival to lax and is without RNAV capability.

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Attributes
ACN	707168
Time
Date	200608
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A319
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : civit5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4400
ASRS Report	707168
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to original clearance flight crew : returned to intended or assigned course
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

We were just about to hit the first fix on a STAR into lax when ATC changed our landing runway. In the boxes above; I put civet arrival; but I can't recall the actual arrival. Regardless; the captain quickly attempted to reload the mcdu with the runway change but that dumped the rest of the STAR leaving me with only 1 fix about 2 mi ahead and a discontinuity beyond that. I advised the captain to install the next few fixes on the STAR as soon as possible so I'd have something upon which to navigation. For part of the arrival; we were without fixes and approximating the course we were to fly because I had nothing else available. I asked the captain to advise ATC we were having difficulty and needed direct a point downline that we could intercept the STAR/approach. Eventually he got something by which I could navigation but what concerns me is that gap when we had nothing and could possibly have been off course or even altitude since there are many step-down altitudes on the STAR. Although it's unlikely that we were significantly off course and less likely we were off altitude; we should have notified ATC immediately rather than risk it.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A319 FLT CREW HAS STAR DROP OUT OF THE MCDU WHEN GIVEN A RWY CHANGE DURING ARR TO LAX AND IS WITHOUT RNAV CAPABILITY.

Narrative: WE WERE JUST ABOUT TO HIT THE FIRST FIX ON A STAR INTO LAX WHEN ATC CHANGED OUR LNDG RWY. IN THE BOXES ABOVE; I PUT CIVET ARR; BUT I CAN'T RECALL THE ACTUAL ARR. REGARDLESS; THE CAPT QUICKLY ATTEMPTED TO RELOAD THE MCDU WITH THE RWY CHANGE BUT THAT DUMPED THE REST OF THE STAR LEAVING ME WITH ONLY 1 FIX ABOUT 2 MI AHEAD AND A DISCONTINUITY BEYOND THAT. I ADVISED THE CAPT TO INSTALL THE NEXT FEW FIXES ON THE STAR ASAP SO I'D HAVE SOMETHING UPON WHICH TO NAV. FOR PART OF THE ARR; WE WERE WITHOUT FIXES AND APPROXIMATING THE COURSE WE WERE TO FLY BECAUSE I HAD NOTHING ELSE AVAILABLE. I ASKED THE CAPT TO ADVISE ATC WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY AND NEEDED DIRECT A POINT DOWNLINE THAT WE COULD INTERCEPT THE STAR/APCH. EVENTUALLY HE GOT SOMETHING BY WHICH I COULD NAV BUT WHAT CONCERNS ME IS THAT GAP WHEN WE HAD NOTHING AND COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN OFF COURSE OR EVEN ALT SINCE THERE ARE MANY STEP-DOWN ALTS ON THE STAR. ALTHOUGH IT'S UNLIKELY THAT WE WERE SIGNIFICANTLY OFF COURSE AND LESS LIKELY WE WERE OFF ALT; WE SHOULD HAVE NOTIFIED ATC IMMEDIATELY RATHER THAN RISK IT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 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.