Narrative:

Flight cmh-pit cleared direct bellaire VOR and descend to 7000 ft. First officer flying given advisory of traffic unverified at 7300 ft near bellaire VOR. Told to hold as published at bellaire VOR (224 degree radial left turn). I saw that first officer was on course, 44 degrees to VOR, on the 224 degree radial. Entry would be direct into l-hand turns as published. Traffic still not in sight, told to maintain 6000 -- continued looking outside for traffic -- controller came on to ask if we were entering holding -- I made a quick glance back inside at the bottom tube of the EFIS system and saw the CDI centered. I stated that 'yes, we were entering holding.' continued looking outside for the traffic while going off communication 1 to flight attendant interphone to brief on holding delay, but to be ready for early release. Came back on communication 1 and controller advised us that we were 7 mi north of holding fix. We took corrective action and advised controller. No further comments were made from controller, so we feel there were no traffic conflicts. We were in visual conditions. First officer flew straight through holding fix, reason unknown. He later stated something about having the reciprocal selected in CDI. I let myself become too removed from navigation priorities and assumed the first officer understood and was aware of his position and when to turn. I should have paid more attention to holding entry upon reaching fix to verify first officer would establish himself. Contributing factors: on second half of 'continuous on duty' overnight, I probably had 5 hours sleep! Check airman was observing first officer, we were pulled from line status, 'retrained,' 'line-checked' again, the released back to line.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER ACFT FLIES RECIPROCAL TO ENTER HOLDING PATTERN.

Narrative: FLT CMH-PIT CLRED DIRECT BELLAIRE VOR AND DSND TO 7000 FT. FO FLYING GIVEN ADVISORY OF TFC UNVERIFIED AT 7300 FT NEAR BELLAIRE VOR. TOLD TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT BELLAIRE VOR (224 DEG RADIAL L TURN). I SAW THAT FO WAS ON COURSE, 44 DEGS TO VOR, ON THE 224 DEG RADIAL. ENTRY WOULD BE DIRECT INTO L-HAND TURNS AS PUBLISHED. TFC STILL NOT IN SIGHT, TOLD TO MAINTAIN 6000 -- CONTINUED LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR TFC -- CTLR CAME ON TO ASK IF WE WERE ENTERING HOLDING -- I MADE A QUICK GLANCE BACK INSIDE AT THE BOTTOM TUBE OF THE EFIS SYS AND SAW THE CDI CTRED. I STATED THAT 'YES, WE WERE ENTERING HOLDING.' CONTINUED LOOKING OUTSIDE FOR THE TFC WHILE GOING OFF COM 1 TO FLT ATTENDANT INTERPHONE TO BRIEF ON HOLDING DELAY, BUT TO BE READY FOR EARLY RELEASE. CAME BACK ON COM 1 AND CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE 7 MI N OF HOLDING FIX. WE TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION AND ADVISED CTLR. NO FURTHER COMMENTS WERE MADE FROM CTLR, SO WE FEEL THERE WERE NO TFC CONFLICTS. WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS. FO FLEW STRAIGHT THROUGH HOLDING FIX, REASON UNKNOWN. HE LATER STATED SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING THE RECIPROCAL SELECTED IN CDI. I LET MYSELF BECOME TOO REMOVED FROM NAV PRIORITIES AND ASSUMED THE FO UNDERSTOOD AND WAS AWARE OF HIS POS AND WHEN TO TURN. I SHOULD HAVE PAID MORE ATTN TO HOLDING ENTRY UPON REACHING FIX TO VERIFY FO WOULD ESTABLISH HIMSELF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: ON SECOND HALF OF 'CONTINUOUS ON DUTY' OVERNIGHT, I PROBABLY HAD 5 HRS SLEEP! CHK AIRMAN WAS OBSERVING FO, WE WERE PULLED FROM LINE STATUS, 'RETRAINED,' 'LINE-CHKED' AGAIN, THE RELEASED BACK TO LINE.

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.