B737-700
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 723; Flight Crew Type 9800
Workload; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented
Human Factors; Procedure
We anticipated the RNAV Approach 16R into DEN. We briefed and loaded this approach. At roughly 15;000 ft MSL we encountered moderate turbulence which caught us off guard; as there were no prior reports of this. I left the frequency to advise the Flight Attendants to take their seats. It was at this time ATC changed our approach to the RNAV 17R. My First Officer loaded this approach into the FMC. ATC also requested us to maintain 280 knots task loading us. Once we were cleared for the RNAV Approach I failed to notice we forgot to join the approach from QWIKE. The next fix in the box after QWIKE was ROOOl; when it should have been STAAM. The aircraft did not join the approach and kept going straight. ATC queried us and broke us off the approach. We were then cleared for the visual approach to Runway 17R.
B737-700 Captain reported a track deviation occurred on the RNAV 17R approach to DEN. Reporter cited a late clearance change as contributing.