A CRJ-900 crew reported that after a DFW departure runway change and accompanying FMS reprogramming of the BLECO THREE RNAV; the ZEMMA waypoint dropped out which caused a track deviation BLECO direct IRW.
Synopsis
A CRJ-900 crew reported that after a DFW departure runway change and accompanying FMS reprogramming of the BLECO THREE RNAV; the ZEMMA waypoint dropped out which caused a track deviation BLECO direct IRW.
Narrative
I was the pilot flying. I programmed Runway 17R into the FMS for departure. We were cleared as filed and were to fly the BLECO THREE RNAV departure. I double-checked the FMS flight plan versus the filed flight plan. Everything was correct. While taxing ATC told us we were going to Runway 18L. I told the pilot not flying I would be heads down and reprogrammed the FMS for Runway 18L. I also checked the performance numbers and they were the same for both runways. We taxied and took off normally. As we were on the BLECO THREE departure; I noticed that there was a flight plan discontinuity after BLECO and before IRW. During this time the pilot not flying was talking to ATC and was being handed off to another Controller. We were going to cross BLECO in 4 minutes. I briefly looked at the BLECO THREE departure plate and I asked the pilot not flying when he was done talking to ATC if he wanted me to fix the discontinuity. At this point he had switched frequencies; but not yet contacted the next Controller. He told me to fix it. I put IRW after BLECO and we both confirmed it. After crossing BLECO we turned direct IRW. As we were climbing through FL210; ATC asked us to expedite our climb through FL260 due to slower traffic ahead. I increased the climb rate. We leveled at FL320 a few minutes later and ATC asked us if we were navigating to ZEMMA. The pilot not flying told ATC we were going direct to IRW; to which ATC replied; 'oh that's OK.' The runway change in the FMS created a discontinuity in the flight plan. I did not re-verify the flight plan points after the change. When we fixed the discontinuity in the flight plan we should have verified the change with the departure. Always double check the flight plan after a runway change especially if the departure is an RNAV departure.
Second reporter narrative
During our taxi for departure from DFW; ATC Ground issued a clearance to Runway 18L when we expected 17R. The First Officer changed the departure runway in the FMS to the assigned runway during the taxi. The FMS displayed a discontinuity from BLECO Intersection to the next cleared fix if IRW. I was asked whether to clear the discontinuity and I answered in the affirmative. During the level off from climb an after passing BLECO Intersection; Fort Worth Center asked what fix we were navigating to and I answered to IRW. It turns out they were expecting ZEMMA Intersection as depicted on the SID BLECO3.IRW. The filed route was BLECO3 IRW DIRECT ICT.... The PDC read BLECO3 IRW ICT.... We loaded the new runway and verified the RNAV fixes up to BLECO; but not after it. The ZEMMA Intersection was missing from our FMS flight plan. We misinterpreted whether the SID was just BLECO3 or just BLECO3.BLECO. This sort of mistake happened before and was covered in and earlier a Memo 10-1. Pilots need to carefully review each SID from DFW and make certain that ALL the fixes are included.
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Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.