Late runway assignment on STAR to lax results in cockpit distraction and missed crossing altitude.

Attributes
ACN	726038
Time
Date	200701
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 17000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : civet
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 6550 flight time type : 1000
ASRS Report	726038
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : crossing restriction not met non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Chart Or Publication ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I learned a very good lesson regarding stars serving multiple runways with a different segment for each runway. In this case it was either the civet or mitts arrival into lax -- I really can't recall. I had never done either one and never any similar one either. Since the two arrs are so similar; the lesson learned can apply to both. I was PF in the left seat on a morning flight. There were clouds around but we were VFR. 20 or 25 miles on hec transition before civet (on both stars) I asked the PNF to get our runway assignment from center as I had not programmed one in the FMS yet and we were undefined after civet. Lots of radio chatter and before we could call we were handed off to socal approach. Upon checking in we were given runway 25R but now I only had 5 miles to reprogram the FMS so it would make the proper turns. I had to enter a runway but when I did the STAR disappeared so I had to enter that and a transition and then resequence the flight plan so we were on the correct leg. I did this in barely enough time so that we made our turn at the next fix (either civet or rustt) losing only about 1/4 deflection on the HSI needle. Just then the PNF said we were supposed to cross the fix at (15000 ft?) and we were at 12000 ft. I was feeling dumb and before I could say anything; the controller gave us a descent to 10000 ft and a heading of 260 degrees to intercept ILS runway 25R. I was glad to hear that! The rest of the flight went well; though I was embarrassed. I was tired (little sleep) and should have had the PNF do the FMS programming so I could keep situational awareness. I should have also read the note to set up for runway 25L unless otherwise instructed even though runway 25L was closed; this would have saved us or given enough time to get things right. I could have had the PNF determine our runway earlier; too. And I could have read the arrival more carefully on segments from civet to lax so I'd know what to expect but I was going to do that after runway assignment. In the future; I will set up a segment of most likely runway or as instructed on STAR. I will read STAR more carefully and will get runway assignment earlier.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE RWY ASSIGNMENT ON STAR TO LAX RESULTS IN COCKPIT DISTRACTION AND MISSED CROSSING ALT.

Narrative: I LEARNED A VERY GOOD LESSON REGARDING STARS SERVING MULTIPLE RWYS WITH A DIFFERENT SEGMENT FOR EACH RWY. IN THIS CASE IT WAS EITHER THE CIVET OR MITTS ARR INTO LAX -- I REALLY CAN'T RECALL. I HAD NEVER DONE EITHER ONE AND NEVER ANY SIMILAR ONE EITHER. SINCE THE TWO ARRS ARE SO SIMILAR; THE LESSON LEARNED CAN APPLY TO BOTH. I WAS PF IN THE LEFT SEAT ON A MORNING FLT. THERE WERE CLOUDS AROUND BUT WE WERE VFR. 20 OR 25 MILES ON HEC TRANSITION BEFORE CIVET (ON BOTH STARS) I ASKED THE PNF TO GET OUR RWY ASSIGNMENT FROM CTR AS I HAD NOT PROGRAMMED ONE IN THE FMS YET AND WE WERE UNDEFINED AFTER CIVET. LOTS OF RADIO CHATTER AND BEFORE WE COULD CALL WE WERE HANDED OFF TO SOCAL APCH. UPON CHKING IN WE WERE GIVEN RWY 25R BUT NOW I ONLY HAD 5 MILES TO REPROGRAM THE FMS SO IT WOULD MAKE THE PROPER TURNS. I HAD TO ENTER A RWY BUT WHEN I DID THE STAR DISAPPEARED SO I HAD TO ENTER THAT AND A TRANSITION AND THEN RESEQUENCE THE FLT PLAN SO WE WERE ON THE CORRECT LEG. I DID THIS IN BARELY ENOUGH TIME SO THAT WE MADE OUR TURN AT THE NEXT FIX (EITHER CIVET OR RUSTT) LOSING ONLY ABOUT 1/4 DEFLECTION ON THE HSI NEEDLE. JUST THEN THE PNF SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO CROSS THE FIX AT (15000 FT?) AND WE WERE AT 12000 FT. I WAS FEELING DUMB AND BEFORE I COULD SAY ANYTHING; THE CTLR GAVE US A DSCNT TO 10000 FT AND A HDG OF 260 DEGS TO INTERCEPT ILS RWY 25R. I WAS GLAD TO HEAR THAT! THE REST OF THE FLT WENT WELL; THOUGH I WAS EMBARRASSED. I WAS TIRED (LITTLE SLEEP) AND SHOULD HAVE HAD THE PNF DO THE FMS PROGRAMMING SO I COULD KEEP SITUATIONAL AWARENESS. I SHOULD HAVE ALSO READ THE NOTE TO SET UP FOR RWY 25L UNLESS OTHERWISE INSTRUCTED EVEN THOUGH RWY 25L WAS CLOSED; THIS WOULD HAVE SAVED US OR GIVEN ENOUGH TIME TO GET THINGS RIGHT. I COULD HAVE HAD THE PNF DETERMINE OUR RWY EARLIER; TOO. AND I COULD HAVE READ THE ARR MORE CAREFULLY ON SEGMENTS FROM CIVET TO LAX SO I'D KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT BUT I WAS GOING TO DO THAT AFTER RWY ASSIGNMENT. IN THE FUTURE; I WILL SET UP A SEGMENT OF MOST LIKELY RWY OR AS INSTRUCTED ON STAR. I WILL READ STAR MORE CAREFULLY AND WILL GET RWY ASSIGNMENT EARLIER.

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.