Narrative:

On the ward 2 arrival to ewr, we understood holding instruction to be, 'hold southwest of the rbv VOR as published, maintain 12000'.' when we were past the holey intersection at approximately the rbv 238 degree right 8 DME, ZNY asked us where we were going and said we were instructed to hold at the holey intersection. We then made a 180 degree turn back to holey intersection and entered holding. We were not advised of any traffic conflicts. This incident occurred either because the controller gave us the instructions which we thought we heard, or it was due to anticipation by the crew of receiving instructions to hold at rbv and when given the instructions we mentally heard what we had been anticipating.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT OVERSHOT EXPECTED HOLDING FIX. TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: ON THE WARD 2 ARR TO EWR, WE UNDERSTOOD HOLDING INSTRUCTION TO BE, 'HOLD SW OF THE RBV VOR AS PUBLISHED, MAINTAIN 12000'.' WHEN WE WERE PAST THE HOLEY INTXN AT APPROX THE RBV 238 DEG R 8 DME, ZNY ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING AND SAID WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT THE HOLEY INTXN. WE THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO HOLEY INTXN AND ENTERED HOLDING. WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF ANY TFC CONFLICTS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED EITHER BECAUSE THE CTLR GAVE US THE INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WE THOUGHT WE HEARD, OR IT WAS DUE TO ANTICIPATION BY THE CREW OF RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD AT RBV AND WHEN GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS WE MENTALLY HEARD WHAT WE HAD BEEN ANTICIPATING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.