Air carrier medium large transport flight crew given a direct VOR clearance by center controller while on STAR arrival. Crew flies direct to VOR, but just short of it, the approach controller advised them that they missed their 8 mi DME turn. Controller guesses that it was an ATC coordination problem.

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Attributes
ACN	368100
Time
Date	199705
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zme tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other arrival star : star enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 6750 flight time type : 3600
ASRS Report	368100
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was the PF. Initially cleared the marve 1 arrival into mem. Proceeding inbound on the mem 227 degree radial per the arrival routing. Captain and I both understood we were cleared direct mem VOR right before handoff to mem approach, thus relieving us of the STAR routing. At approximately 2-3 mi from the mem VOR, approach controller stated, 'I see you missed the turn at 8 DME.' we informed him that we thought we had been cleared direct to the VOR right before handoff from center. He indicated to us that there was no problem and informed us that there was probably a bit of miscom between center and approach. The controller proceeded with vectors for the visual approach to runway 18C. There was no conflict at any time during this incident. In retrospect, I think we should have been more aggressive in querying the controller for vectors the closer we got to the airport. As a matter of fact, right before the controller called us, we both commented that, 'he must be taking us over the top.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG FLC GIVEN A DIRECT VOR CLRNC BY CTR CTLR WHILE ON STAR ARR. CREW FLIES DIRECT TO VOR, BUT JUST SHORT OF IT, THE APCH CTLR ADVISED THEM THAT THEY MISSED THEIR 8 MI DME TURN. CTLR GUESSES THAT IT WAS AN ATC COORD PROB.

Narrative: I WAS THE PF. INITIALLY CLRED THE MARVE 1 ARR INTO MEM. PROCEEDING INBOUND ON THE MEM 227 DEG RADIAL PER THE ARR ROUTING. CAPT AND I BOTH UNDERSTOOD WE WERE CLRED DIRECT MEM VOR RIGHT BEFORE HDOF TO MEM APCH, THUS RELIEVING US OF THE STAR ROUTING. AT APPROX 2-3 MI FROM THE MEM VOR, APCH CTLR STATED, 'I SEE YOU MISSED THE TURN AT 8 DME.' WE INFORMED HIM THAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT TO THE VOR RIGHT BEFORE HDOF FROM CTR. HE INDICATED TO US THAT THERE WAS NO PROB AND INFORMED US THAT THERE WAS PROBABLY A BIT OF MISCOM BTWN CTR AND APCH. THE CTLR PROCEEDED WITH VECTORS FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO RWY 18C. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT AT ANY TIME DURING THIS INCIDENT. IN RETROSPECT, I THINK WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN MORE AGGRESSIVE IN QUERYING THE CTLR FOR VECTORS THE CLOSER WE GOT TO THE ARPT. AS A MATTER OF FACT, RIGHT BEFORE THE CTLR CALLED US, WE BOTH COMMENTED THAT, 'HE MUST BE TAKING US OVER THE TOP.'

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.