Narrative:

Cleared to hold at con northwest on 300 degree radial, left turns, 2O mi legs, FL370. First officer copied holding instructions as I was talking to dispatch about the WX at pwm (which was now below minimums) and our possible diversion to bgr, which we eventually did. Upon returning to my PF duties, was told of our instructions by ATC but he neglected to mention left turns instead of the published holding pattern which was right turns. I entered the hold and after 1 complete pattern, ATC asked us if we were in the hold over con left turns. We replied that we were holding as published, ie, right turns and then the first officer told me it was left turns as he had written down but failed to tell me that it was left turns. There was no conflict. We apologized, and requested and received a clearance to bgr. ATC stated that there wasn't a problem and we landed at our alternate. This was caused by a very heavy workload as all the surrounding airports were going below minimums or were closed for snow removal. In the future I will ask more pointed and direct questions as I re-enter the loop. This was also the first day (third leg) I had flown with this first officer and I was overconfident in his abilities. I need to be more vigilant! Supplemental information from acn 363490: the captain said he was back so I told him the holding instructions. He proceeded to build the hold in the FMC. Upon me reviewing the entry in the FMC I noticed he had entered the wrong inbound heading. However, I did not notice that the turns that came up on the FMC were right. As we entered the hold the captain was back on #2 radio with company. We did not realize our mistake until ZBW asked us what we were doing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CLRED TO HOLD CON VOR L TURNS FL370. CAPT WAS ON #2 VHF WITH DISPATCH REGARDING PLAN OF OP. WHEN BACK IN THE COCKPIT HE SET UP THE HOLD PER CHART WITH A R TURN. FO HAD FAILED TO ADVISE OF THE L PATTERN. CTLR QUESTIONED THE DIRECTION OF TURN AFTER 1 CIRCUIT. NO CONFLICT AND THE FLT DIVERTED TO ALTERNATE.

Narrative: CLRED TO HOLD AT CON NW ON 300 DEG RADIAL, L TURNS, 2O MI LEGS, FL370. FO COPIED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AS I WAS TALKING TO DISPATCH ABOUT THE WX AT PWM (WHICH WAS NOW BELOW MINIMUMS) AND OUR POSSIBLE DIVERSION TO BGR, WHICH WE EVENTUALLY DID. UPON RETURNING TO MY PF DUTIES, WAS TOLD OF OUR INSTRUCTIONS BY ATC BUT HE NEGLECTED TO MENTION L TURNS INSTEAD OF THE PUBLISHED HOLDING PATTERN WHICH WAS R TURNS. I ENTERED THE HOLD AND AFTER 1 COMPLETE PATTERN, ATC ASKED US IF WE WERE IN THE HOLD OVER CON L TURNS. WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE HOLDING AS PUBLISHED, IE, R TURNS AND THEN THE FO TOLD ME IT WAS L TURNS AS HE HAD WRITTEN DOWN BUT FAILED TO TELL ME THAT IT WAS L TURNS. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. WE APOLOGIZED, AND REQUESTED AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO BGR. ATC STATED THAT THERE WASN'T A PROB AND WE LANDED AT OUR ALTERNATE. THIS WAS CAUSED BY A VERY HVY WORKLOAD AS ALL THE SURROUNDING ARPTS WERE GOING BELOW MINIMUMS OR WERE CLOSED FOR SNOW REMOVAL. IN THE FUTURE I WILL ASK MORE POINTED AND DIRECT QUESTIONS AS I RE-ENTER THE LOOP. THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST DAY (THIRD LEG) I HAD FLOWN WITH THIS FO AND I WAS OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS ABILITIES. I NEED TO BE MORE VIGILANT! SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 363490: THE CAPT SAID HE WAS BACK SO I TOLD HIM THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. HE PROCEEDED TO BUILD THE HOLD IN THE FMC. UPON ME REVIEWING THE ENTRY IN THE FMC I NOTICED HE HAD ENTERED THE WRONG INBOUND HDG. HOWEVER, I DID NOT NOTICE THAT THE TURNS THAT CAME UP ON THE FMC WERE R. AS WE ENTERED THE HOLD THE CAPT WAS BACK ON #2 RADIO WITH COMPANY. WE DID NOT REALIZE OUR MISTAKE UNTIL ZBW ASKED US WHAT WE WERE DOING.

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.