Late runway change and FMC reprogramming carried out by pilot flying results in a track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	786426
Time
Date	200805
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : atl.airport
State Reference	GA
Altitude	msl single value : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : a80.tracon tower : tpa.tower
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
Route In Use	arrival star : honie
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 110 flight time total : 12000 flight time type : 85
ASRS Report	786426
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance flight crew : overcame equipment problem
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

Upon arrival into atl; on a leg in which I (the first officer) was the PF; we began the honie 5 arrival via the szw transition. I had briefed and programmed the honie arrival with an ILS to a visual approach; runway 28. At about honie intersection we were assigned runway 27L. I began by going to heading mode to allow me to perform the FMS reprogramming. I completed the reprogramming of the FMS at approximately tiroe intersection. Just as I began to reengage the LNAV function we passed over tiroe. The LNAV perceived tiroe behind us and began a 180 degree turn. I caught this error and re-engaged heading select reprogrammed for fogog and believed I had averted a problem. I had not however; re-engaged LNAV (again). This caused us to fly past the turn at fogog in heading select. ATC notified us. The primary cause of this incident was my inability to coordinate autoplt usage with my FMS programming. (Always have one more button to push.) secondary factors: 1) the late runway assignment from atl and lack of flight crew's ability to guess which runway (with better than 50% accuracy). 2) significant frequency congestion does not allow for delegating PNF to reprogram for PF. 3) high cockpit workload -- bad time to have to reprogram and rebrief for approach and arrival.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LATE RWY CHANGE AND FMC REPROGRAMMING CARRIED OUT BY PLT FLYING RESULTS IN A TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: UPON ARR INTO ATL; ON A LEG IN WHICH I (THE FO) WAS THE PF; WE BEGAN THE HONIE 5 ARR VIA THE SZW TRANSITION. I HAD BRIEFED AND PROGRAMMED THE HONIE ARR WITH AN ILS TO A VISUAL APCH; RWY 28. AT ABOUT HONIE INTXN WE WERE ASSIGNED RWY 27L. I BEGAN BY GOING TO HDG MODE TO ALLOW ME TO PERFORM THE FMS REPROGRAMMING. I COMPLETED THE REPROGRAMMING OF THE FMS AT APPROX TIROE INTXN. JUST AS I BEGAN TO REENGAGE THE LNAV FUNCTION WE PASSED OVER TIROE. THE LNAV PERCEIVED TIROE BEHIND US AND BEGAN A 180 DEG TURN. I CAUGHT THIS ERROR AND RE-ENGAGED HDG SELECT REPROGRAMMED FOR FOGOG AND BELIEVED I HAD AVERTED A PROBLEM. I HAD NOT HOWEVER; RE-ENGAGED LNAV (AGAIN). THIS CAUSED US TO FLY PAST THE TURN AT FOGOG IN HDG SELECT. ATC NOTIFIED US. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS MY INABILITY TO COORDINATE AUTOPLT USAGE WITH MY FMS PROGRAMMING. (ALWAYS HAVE ONE MORE BUTTON TO PUSH.) SECONDARY FACTORS: 1) THE LATE RWY ASSIGNMENT FROM ATL AND LACK OF FLT CREW'S ABILITY TO GUESS WHICH RWY (WITH BETTER THAN 50% ACCURACY). 2) SIGNIFICANT FREQ CONGESTION DOES NOT ALLOW FOR DELEGATING PNF TO REPROGRAM FOR PF. 3) HIGH COCKPIT WORKLOAD -- BAD TIME TO HAVE TO REPROGRAM AND REBRIEF FOR APCH AND ARR.

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.