Narrative:

On a flight from las to rno, ZOA lost all radar and radio contact. ZLA cleared us to hold north of beatty VOR on J92 right turns. The first officer was flying. Passing over bty northbound I went to company frequency to advise dispatch of our clearance. Company frequency was extremely congested with 8-10 aircraft all attempting to reach dispatch. Inbound to the VOR I noticed our position in relation to the 310 degree radial and instructed the first officer to continue right to the VOR, however, I failed to monitor the outbound leg until we had turned right again and were on the non holding side of the 310 degree radial. Once again I was trying to maintain radio contact with dispatch and became distracted with our holding position.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: HOLDING PROC -- WHEN THE NEXT ARTCC LOSES ITS RADAR AND RADIOS THIS ACR IS GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WHICH THE PF INCORRECTLY INTERPRETS.

Narrative: ON A FLT FROM LAS TO RNO, ZOA LOST ALL RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT. ZLA CLRED US TO HOLD N OF BEATTY VOR ON J92 R TURNS. THE FO WAS FLYING. PASSING OVER BTY NBOUND I WENT TO COMPANY FREQ TO ADVISE DISPATCH OF OUR CLRNC. COMPANY FREQ WAS EXTREMELY CONGESTED WITH 8-10 ACFT ALL ATTEMPTING TO REACH DISPATCH. INBOUND TO THE VOR I NOTICED OUR POS IN RELATION TO THE 310 DEG RADIAL AND INSTRUCTED THE FO TO CONTINUE R TO THE VOR, HOWEVER, I FAILED TO MONITOR THE OUTBOUND LEG UNTIL WE HAD TURNED R AGAIN AND WERE ON THE NON HOLDING SIDE OF THE 310 DEG RADIAL. ONCE AGAIN I WAS TRYING TO MAINTAIN RADIO CONTACT WITH DISPATCH AND BECAME DISTRACTED WITH OUR HOLDING POS.

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.