Narrative:

Inbound to atl on the flcon 3 arrival we were told expect runway 8L which is a north side downwind. Passing by worff intersection we were told to change runway to 9R. On the flcon 3 arrival that turns you toward bojaa intersection and a south side downwind. We completed the FMS change and turned toward bojaa intersection at 11000 ft. Approach control then told us to descend to 7000 ft. Thinking this was a mistake we questioned the descent to 7000 ft. She then asked where we were going. We told her bojaa intersection per the flcon 3 as assigned. She then came back with stop your descent at 8000 ft and make a hard right turn to direct nofiv intersection. She then changed the instructions to expect radar vectors to runway 9R. She then started repeating the radar vector instructions to the aircraft behind us. We were now on a north side downwind to runway 9R under radar vectors and off the flcon 3 arrival. The rest of the arrival was normal. The problem occurred with the last minute change to runway 9R and not being removed from the flcon 3 arrival. The arrival on paper nor the FMS give you the option of a north side downwind to runway 9R. I for one will question which downwind the controller wants when there is a last minute change in runway assignments at atl.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CRJ200 FLT CREW WAS ISSUED A RWY CHANGE NAVIGATING THE FLCON RNAV ARR INTO ATL. THE FLT CREW CHANGED THE FMS FOR THE TRANSITION APPROPRIATE TO THE RWY CHANGE. ATC'S INTENTION WAS FOR THE FLT CREW TO REMAIN ON THE ORIGINAL TRANSITION.

Narrative: INBOUND TO ATL ON THE FLCON 3 ARR WE WERE TOLD EXPECT RWY 8L WHICH IS A N SIDE DOWNWIND. PASSING BY WORFF INTXN WE WERE TOLD TO CHANGE RWY TO 9R. ON THE FLCON 3 ARR THAT TURNS YOU TOWARD BOJAA INTXN AND A S SIDE DOWNWIND. WE COMPLETED THE FMS CHANGE AND TURNED TOWARD BOJAA INTXN AT 11000 FT. APCH CTL THEN TOLD US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. THINKING THIS WAS A MISTAKE WE QUESTIONED THE DSCNT TO 7000 FT. SHE THEN ASKED WHERE WE WERE GOING. WE TOLD HER BOJAA INTXN PER THE FLCON 3 AS ASSIGNED. SHE THEN CAME BACK WITH STOP YOUR DSCNT AT 8000 FT AND MAKE A HARD R TURN TO DIRECT NOFIV INTXN. SHE THEN CHANGED THE INSTRUCTIONS TO EXPECT RADAR VECTORS TO RWY 9R. SHE THEN STARTED REPEATING THE RADAR VECTOR INSTRUCTIONS TO THE ACFT BEHIND US. WE WERE NOW ON A N SIDE DOWNWIND TO RWY 9R UNDER RADAR VECTORS AND OFF THE FLCON 3 ARR. THE REST OF THE ARR WAS NORMAL. THE PROBLEM OCCURRED WITH THE LAST MINUTE CHANGE TO RWY 9R AND NOT BEING REMOVED FROM THE FLCON 3 ARR. THE ARR ON PAPER NOR THE FMS GIVE YOU THE OPTION OF A N SIDE DOWNWIND TO RWY 9R. I FOR ONE WILL QUESTION WHICH DOWNWIND THE CTLR WANTS WHEN THERE IS A LAST MINUTE CHANGE IN RWY ASSIGNMENTS AT ATL.

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.