Air carrier medium large transport started and in the wrong direction.

Attributes
ACN	176736
Time
Date	199104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fak
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : j51
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 1100
ASRS Report	176736
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance 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:

En route to fak on J51, we were instructed to hold southwest on the flat rock 020 degree right, right turns, 10 mi legs, expect further clearance at XX50Z, about 1 hour away. We immediately notified ATC that we were slowing to holding speed. We discussed the holding pattern and entry and decided that a teardrop entry was appropriate, with an initial left turn to 350 degrees. At 20 DME the first officer began his turn to 350 degrees for the entry. Shortly thereafter, ATC gave us a right turn to 090 degrees, traffic northwest 15 mi. We immediately complied. We had both misinterpreted the holding clearance. We were planning to hold northeast, instead of southwest. We had discussed the clearance, pattern and entry and never caught our error. Nothing further was said by ATC. After a few more vectors, we were cleared by a new routing to phl. I usually don't have a problem with holding patterns. I always discuss patterns and entries with my first officer to be sure we're on the same wavelength. This time both of us missed the error. Maybe ATC could include in the holding instructions the initial turn just as an added backup to get us all on the same wavelength.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG STARTED AND IN THE WRONG DIRECTION.

Narrative: ENRTE TO FAK ON J51, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD SW ON THE FLAT ROCK 020 DEG R, RIGHT TURNS, 10 MI LEGS, EXPECT FURTHER CLRNC AT XX50Z, ABOUT 1 HR AWAY. WE IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED ATC THAT WE WERE SLOWING TO HOLDING SPD. WE DISCUSSED THE HOLDING PATTERN AND ENTRY AND DECIDED THAT A TEARDROP ENTRY WAS APPROPRIATE, WITH AN INITIAL LEFT TURN TO 350 DEGS. AT 20 DME THE F/O BEGAN HIS TURN TO 350 DEGS FOR THE ENTRY. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ATC GAVE US A RIGHT TURN TO 090 DEGS, TFC NW 15 MI. WE IMMEDIATELY COMPLIED. WE HAD BOTH MISINTERPRETED THE HOLDING CLRNC. WE WERE PLANNING TO HOLD NE, INSTEAD OF SW. WE HAD DISCUSSED THE CLRNC, PATTERN AND ENTRY AND NEVER CAUGHT OUR ERROR. NOTHING FURTHER WAS SAID BY ATC. AFTER A FEW MORE VECTORS, WE WERE CLRED BY A NEW RTING TO PHL. I USUALLY DON'T HAVE A PROB WITH HOLDING PATTERNS. I ALWAYS DISCUSS PATTERNS AND ENTRIES WITH MY F/O TO BE SURE WE'RE ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH. THIS TIME BOTH OF US MISSED THE ERROR. MAYBE ATC COULD INCLUDE IN THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS THE INITIAL TURN JUST AS AN ADDED BACKUP TO GET US ALL ON THE SAME WAVELENGTH.

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.