Air carrier large transport track heading deviating on STAR with vector into mem.

Attributes
ACN	177494
Time
Date	199104
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	177494
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	177388
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:

Our flight was proceeding for greensboro, nc to mem, 4/91. We had been cleared direct holly springs, cross holly springs at 10000', 250 KTS, holly 5 arrival into mem. We were handed from ZME to approach control, who then cleared us (again) direct holly springs, heading 355 degrees out of olivv. What we thought he said was, 'heading 355 degrees out of holly,' since ZME normally gives us some heading out of holly, plus the fact that holly and olivv sound somewhat similar--especially when you're in a hurry or it's slurred at all. I would like to suggest that olivv be renamed to avoid this type of confusion in the future.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT TRACK HEADING DEVIATING ON STAR WITH VECTOR INTO MEM.

Narrative: OUR FLT WAS PROCEEDING FOR GREENSBORO, NC TO MEM, 4/91. WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT HOLLY SPRINGS, CROSS HOLLY SPRINGS AT 10000', 250 KTS, HOLLY 5 ARR INTO MEM. WE WERE HANDED FROM ZME TO APCH CTL, WHO THEN CLRED US (AGAIN) DIRECT HOLLY SPRINGS, HDG 355 DEGS OUT OF OLIVV. WHAT WE THOUGHT HE SAID WAS, 'HDG 355 DEGS OUT OF HOLLY,' SINCE ZME NORMALLY GIVES US SOME HDG OUT OF HOLLY, PLUS THE FACT THAT HOLLY AND OLIVV SOUND SOMEWHAT SIMILAR--ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU'RE IN A HURRY OR IT'S SLURRED AT ALL. I WOULD LIKE TO SUGGEST THAT OLIVV BE RENAMED TO AVOID THIS TYPE OF CONFUSION IN THE FUTURE.

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.