Narrative:

Just after passing kessel VOR; the new ATIS came up indicating that rather than runway 1L; which we had expected; that we would now get runway 19R or runway 12. The captain reprogrammed for runway 12. Upon execution; the box dumped our arrival. We had been told to cross 5 west of druzz at 11000 ft and 250 KTS. I mentioned that we had lost our arrival. The captain attempted to go to raw data while I attempted to reinsert the arrival. The arrival plate no longer gives a frequency for the kessel VOR! Thus no raw data could be used. I had not yet finished entry for the arrival; but realized that runway 12 is not available on that arrival. At that point; the captain had started trying to get the box updated with our current arrival. We decided to ask for direct druzz; which the controller wouldn't give us. During this process; I erased what the captain was entering using the number 2 box. Oops. We managed to keep the aircraft on a reasonably accurate track using heading select until we had gotten the FMC reconfigured. The descent was made on profile; but the entire situation was laughable. After we landed; we discussed what had happened; what we could have done better; and finally just laughed at the state of confusion that this FMC issue caused. I do not want to see anyone else go through this when dulles is IFR and the controllers are not prepared for an aircraft deviation from the RNAV arrival. I hope that this issue will be addressed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B757 FLT CREW DEVIATED SLIGHTLY FROM ARR COURSE WHEN THEY LOST NAV INFO FROM THEIR FMC DURING REPROGRAMMING.

Narrative: JUST AFTER PASSING KESSEL VOR; THE NEW ATIS CAME UP INDICATING THAT RATHER THAN RWY 1L; WHICH WE HAD EXPECTED; THAT WE WOULD NOW GET RWY 19R OR RWY 12. THE CAPT REPROGRAMMED FOR RWY 12. UPON EXECUTION; THE BOX DUMPED OUR ARR. WE HAD BEEN TOLD TO CROSS 5 WEST OF DRUZZ AT 11000 FT AND 250 KTS. I MENTIONED THAT WE HAD LOST OUR ARR. THE CAPT ATTEMPTED TO GO TO RAW DATA WHILE I ATTEMPTED TO REINSERT THE ARR. THE ARR PLATE NO LONGER GIVES A FREQUENCY FOR THE KESSEL VOR! THUS NO RAW DATA COULD BE USED. I HAD NOT YET FINISHED ENTRY FOR THE ARR; BUT REALIZED THAT RWY 12 IS NOT AVAILABLE ON THAT ARR. AT THAT POINT; THE CAPT HAD STARTED TRYING TO GET THE BOX UPDATED WITH OUR CURRENT ARR. WE DECIDED TO ASK FOR DIRECT DRUZZ; WHICH THE CTLR WOULDN'T GIVE US. DURING THIS PROCESS; I ERASED WHAT THE CAPT WAS ENTERING USING THE NUMBER 2 BOX. OOPS. WE MANAGED TO KEEP THE ACFT ON A REASONABLY ACCURATE TRACK USING HDG SELECT UNTIL WE HAD GOTTEN THE FMC RECONFIGURED. THE DSCNT WAS MADE ON PROFILE; BUT THE ENTIRE SITUATION WAS LAUGHABLE. AFTER WE LANDED; WE DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED; WHAT WE COULD HAVE DONE BETTER; AND FINALLY JUST LAUGHED AT THE STATE OF CONFUSION THAT THIS FMC ISSUE CAUSED. I DO NOT WANT TO SEE ANYONE ELSE GO THROUGH THIS WHEN DULLES IS IFR AND THE CTLRS ARE NOT PREPARED FOR AN ACFT DEV FROM THE RNAV ARR. I HOPE THAT THIS ISSUE WILL BE ADDRESSED.

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