Narrative:

I was the first officer on a flight mem-ewr, 12/sun/90. We were on the warrd 2 arrival into ewr. Traffic was backed up due to WX. Approaching eno VOR, ZDC told us, 'hold northeast of the 20 DME fix on the 044 degree right off of eno, left turns, 10 min legs, efc XX45Z.' I was the PNF and repeated the clearance to ZDC, and the controller acknowledged my xmissions and made no corrections. The F/east is a check airman with our company, as well as a flight examiner with the USAF. He went to the trouble of drawing out the fix, discussing it with us, and we all agreed on the pattern. We called entering holding at the 20 DME fix outbnd. Northeast of eno and turning left at 30 DME back inbound, ZDV asked us what we were doing. We replied, 'turning inbound.' said we were supposed to be holding southwest of the 20 DME fix. I stated that we heard northeast and acknowledged northeast several mins before, but we would go where he wanted us to. We apologized for any misunderstanding and were shortly thereafter cleared for the arrival. I truly feel and believe that the 3 of us heard, wrote down and repeated northeast, and at no time did any of us heard southwest or south anything. Just prior to ZDC's query, he was questioning another air carrier and told him he was holding in error. Either 2 separate crews made identical errors, or the controller's instructions were unclear/ambiguous/in error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLT CREW ENDS UP IN WRONG HOLDING PATTERN AFTER ATC AMENDED CLRNC ACKNOWLEDGED.

Narrative: I WAS THE F/O ON A FLT MEM-EWR, 12/SUN/90. WE WERE ON THE WARRD 2 ARR INTO EWR. TFC WAS BACKED UP DUE TO WX. APCHING ENO VOR, ZDC TOLD US, 'HOLD NE OF THE 20 DME FIX ON THE 044 DEG R OFF OF ENO, LEFT TURNS, 10 MIN LEGS, EFC XX45Z.' I WAS THE PNF AND REPEATED THE CLRNC TO ZDC, AND THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED MY XMISSIONS AND MADE NO CORRECTIONS. THE F/E IS A CHK AIRMAN WITH OUR COMPANY, AS WELL AS A FLT EXAMINER WITH THE USAF. HE WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF DRAWING OUT THE FIX, DISCUSSING IT WITH US, AND WE ALL AGREED ON THE PATTERN. WE CALLED ENTERING HOLDING AT THE 20 DME FIX OUTBND. NE OF ENO AND TURNING LEFT AT 30 DME BACK INBND, ZDV ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE REPLIED, 'TURNING INBND.' SAID WE WERE SUPPOSED TO BE HOLDING SW OF THE 20 DME FIX. I STATED THAT WE HEARD NE AND ACKNOWLEDGED NE SEVERAL MINS BEFORE, BUT WE WOULD GO WHERE HE WANTED US TO. WE APOLOGIZED FOR ANY MISUNDERSTANDING AND WERE SHORTLY THEREAFTER CLRED FOR THE ARR. I TRULY FEEL AND BELIEVE THAT THE 3 OF US HEARD, WROTE DOWN AND REPEATED NE, AND AT NO TIME DID ANY OF US HEARD SW OR S ANYTHING. JUST PRIOR TO ZDC'S QUERY, HE WAS QUESTIONING ANOTHER ACR AND TOLD HIM HE WAS HOLDING IN ERROR. EITHER 2 SEPARATE CREWS MADE IDENTICAL ERRORS, OR THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS WERE UNCLEAR/AMBIGUOUS/IN ERROR.

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.