Some confusion and clearance interpretation problem has delayed transfer of ATC communication given to air carrier widebody transport for holding procedure.

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Attributes
ACN	179958
Time
Date	199106
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sps
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 41000 msl bound upper : 41000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 250
ASRS Report	179958
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence other other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Controller issued holding instructions at last minute. He said, 'hold as published over sps, 20 mi legs.' both first officer and I thought he also said 'right turns.' we built pattern in the FMC--113 degree course northbound to sps, right turns, 20 mi legs. During outbnd leg, closer inspection of patterns over sps showed the published pattern was left turns. Controller was very busy, and since we had less than 1 min or so between the time the instructions were issued to entry, it was difficult to question the controller. As it turned out, once we were able to contact him, he said it didn't matter to him at 41000'.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SOME CONFUSION AND CLRNC INTERP PROBLEM HAS DELAYED TRANSFER OF ATC COM GIVEN TO ACR WDB FOR HOLDING PROC.

Narrative: CTLR ISSUED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT LAST MINUTE. HE SAID, 'HOLD AS PUBLISHED OVER SPS, 20 MI LEGS.' BOTH F/O AND I THOUGHT HE ALSO SAID 'RIGHT TURNS.' WE BUILT PATTERN IN THE FMC--113 DEG COURSE NBND TO SPS, RIGHT TURNS, 20 MI LEGS. DURING OUTBND LEG, CLOSER INSPECTION OF PATTERNS OVER SPS SHOWED THE PUBLISHED PATTERN WAS LEFT TURNS. CTLR WAS VERY BUSY, AND SINCE WE HAD LESS THAN 1 MIN OR SO BTWN THE TIME THE INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED TO ENTRY, IT WAS DIFFICULT TO QUESTION THE CTLR. AS IT TURNED OUT, ONCE WE WERE ABLE TO CONTACT HIM, HE SAID IT DIDN'T MATTER TO HIM AT 41000'.

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.