Narrative:

While approaching pvd VOR to land at bos, other aircraft were being instructed to hold as published at pvd. We were never given a holding clearance until we inquired to ZBW, at approximately 2 mi from pvd. The clearance was to hold as published (234 degree radial, southwest) winds were approximately 270 degrees/78 KTS. After making a 30 degree bank 195 degree turn, we were unable to establish on the inbound course. Subsequently the wind blew us northeast of the VOR approximately 8 mi. Too much emphasis was placed on programming the FMC. As the aircraft reached the holding fix, the FMC which had been programmed for holding, reverted to the control wheel steering mode of the autoplt. The heading select mode was then engaged and used to enter the hold. On the outbound leg, pilot's attention was on reprogramming the FMC. Supplemental information from acn 270038: my flight director was in the VOR/ILS mode and my VOR was tuned to norwich VOR. I set my course selector to the inbound pvd radial, not realizing that my VOR was still set to norwich VOR. The hold was so easy to enter that we devoted more time than we should have to the computer, PA's, and a nosey jump seat rider who wondered what was going on.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG FLEW OUT OF HOLDING PATTERN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: WHILE APCHING PVD VOR TO LAND AT BOS, OTHER ACFT WERE BEING INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT PVD. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN A HOLDING CLRNC UNTIL WE INQUIRED TO ZBW, AT APPROX 2 MI FROM PVD. THE CLRNC WAS TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED (234 DEG RADIAL, SW) WINDS WERE APPROX 270 DEGS/78 KTS. AFTER MAKING A 30 DEG BANK 195 DEG TURN, WE WERE UNABLE TO ESTABLISH ON THE INBOUND COURSE. SUBSEQUENTLY THE WIND BLEW US NE OF THE VOR APPROX 8 MI. TOO MUCH EMPHASIS WAS PLACED ON PROGRAMMING THE FMC. AS THE ACFT REACHED THE HOLDING FIX, THE FMC WHICH HAD BEEN PROGRAMMED FOR HOLDING, REVERTED TO THE CTL WHEEL STEERING MODE OF THE AUTOPLT. THE HDG SELECT MODE WAS THEN ENGAGED AND USED TO ENTER THE HOLD. ON THE OUTBOUND LEG, PLT'S ATTN WAS ON REPROGRAMMING THE FMC. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 270038: MY FLT DIRECTOR WAS IN THE VOR/ILS MODE AND MY VOR WAS TUNED TO NORWICH VOR. I SET MY COURSE SELECTOR TO THE INBOUND PVD RADIAL, NOT REALIZING THAT MY VOR WAS STILL SET TO NORWICH VOR. THE HOLD WAS SO EASY TO ENTER THAT WE DEVOTED MORE TIME THAN WE SHOULD HAVE TO THE COMPUTER, PA'S, AND A NOSEY JUMP SEAT RIDER WHO WONDERED WHAT WAS GOING ON.

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.