Flight crew of large transport entered a holding pattern at wrong VOR.

Attributes
ACN	132861
Time
Date	199001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 6800 flight time type : 120
ASRS Report	132861
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5600 flight time type : 2700
ASRS Report	132979
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While approaching sea isle VOR we were told to hold as published over cedar lake VOR. This clearance was given within 30 DME of sea isla VOR. There was no depicted holding pattern over cedar lake on the STAR or the high en route chart. We informed the controller of this. At that time, someone came on the radio and told us it was on the low 24 chart. We hurriedly tried to find the low 24 chart and the holding pattern. By the time we found it we were over the fix. We entered holding over sea isle in error. The controller then told us to go to cedar lake, which we did. There were no traffic conflicts and we were in VFR conditions. Confusion was caused by the close proximity of the 2 VOR's, holding instructions being given late, and the holding pattern not being depicted on the STAR. Additionally the 2 VOR's sound similar over the radio.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT ENTERED A HOLDING PATTERN AT WRONG VOR.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING SEA ISLE VOR WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED OVER CEDAR LAKE VOR. THIS CLRNC WAS GIVEN WITHIN 30 DME OF SEA ISLA VOR. THERE WAS NO DEPICTED HOLDING PATTERN OVER CEDAR LAKE ON THE STAR OR THE HIGH ENRTE CHART. WE INFORMED THE CTLR OF THIS. AT THAT TIME, SOMEONE CAME ON THE RADIO AND TOLD US IT WAS ON THE LOW 24 CHART. WE HURRIEDLY TRIED TO FIND THE LOW 24 CHART AND THE HOLDING PATTERN. BY THE TIME WE FOUND IT WE WERE OVER THE FIX. WE ENTERED HOLDING OVER SEA ISLE IN ERROR. THE CTLR THEN TOLD US TO GO TO CEDAR LAKE, WHICH WE DID. THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS AND WE WERE IN VFR CONDITIONS. CONFUSION WAS CAUSED BY THE CLOSE PROX OF THE 2 VOR'S, HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS BEING GIVEN LATE, AND THE HOLDING PATTERN NOT BEING DEPICTED ON THE STAR. ADDITIONALLY THE 2 VOR'S SOUND SIMILAR OVER THE RADIO.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.