Narrative:

We were cleared by ZME to go direct to gilmore. Even during the descent into mem, we were never cleared for the gilmore 1 arrival. Mem approach descended us to 8000 ft and as we approached gilmore I asked what heading they wanted out of gilmore. They told us to do the gilmore 1. We quickly set it up and I became a bit distraction by a line of cumulo nimbus, southeast of mem. The copilot/first officer, busted through 8000 ft, got to 7600 ft then climbed to 8500 ft before settling at 8000 ft. This was caused by his setting up the arrival as we were about to level. As we were discussing the altitude bust, mem approach told us to turn to a heading of 180 degrees at the mem 302 degree radial/8 DME. I already had mem in my VOR. The first officer had gilmore. Since the mem 302 degree radial/8 DME is 'bowen' on the gqe 122 degree radial/12 DME, when the first officer asked me what DME to turn on, I said '12,' thinking he was still on gqe. Unfortunately, he had switched to mem and thus turned 4 mi too early. Mem approach controller got very upset with us and proceeded to give us radar vectors to the field. We got ourselves behind by not clarifying the arrival procedures further out. Lots of thunderstorms in the area did not help either. Each pilot needs to tell the other when he/she switches frequencys (or navigation radios).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC9-30 FLC ALLEGEDLY FAILS TO GET THE STAR ARR ASSIGNED AND THIS DELAYS THEIR PLANNING THE APCH. WHEN FINALLY CLRED, THEY EXPERIENCE AN ALT BUST AND A HDG DEV. EXASPERATED APCH CTLR FINALLY RESORTS TO VECTORS FOR FLC TO MEM ARPT.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED BY ZME TO GO DIRECT TO GILMORE. EVEN DURING THE DSCNT INTO MEM, WE WERE NEVER CLRED FOR THE GILMORE 1 ARR. MEM APCH DSNDED US TO 8000 FT AND AS WE APCHED GILMORE I ASKED WHAT HDG THEY WANTED OUT OF GILMORE. THEY TOLD US TO DO THE GILMORE 1. WE QUICKLY SET IT UP AND I BECAME A BIT DISTR BY A LINE OF CUMULO NIMBUS, SE OF MEM. THE COPLT/FO, BUSTED THROUGH 8000 FT, GOT TO 7600 FT THEN CLBED TO 8500 FT BEFORE SETTLING AT 8000 FT. THIS WAS CAUSED BY HIS SETTING UP THE ARR AS WE WERE ABOUT TO LEVEL. AS WE WERE DISCUSSING THE ALT BUST, MEM APCH TOLD US TO TURN TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS AT THE MEM 302 DEG RADIAL/8 DME. I ALREADY HAD MEM IN MY VOR. THE FO HAD GILMORE. SINCE THE MEM 302 DEG RADIAL/8 DME IS 'BOWEN' ON THE GQE 122 DEG RADIAL/12 DME, WHEN THE FO ASKED ME WHAT DME TO TURN ON, I SAID '12,' THINKING HE WAS STILL ON GQE. UNFORTUNATELY, HE HAD SWITCHED TO MEM AND THUS TURNED 4 MI TOO EARLY. MEM APCH CTLR GOT VERY UPSET WITH US AND PROCEEDED TO GIVE US RADAR VECTORS TO THE FIELD. WE GOT OURSELVES BEHIND BY NOT CLARIFYING THE ARR PROCS FURTHER OUT. LOTS OF TSTMS IN THE AREA DID NOT HELP EITHER. EACH PLT NEEDS TO TELL THE OTHER WHEN HE/SHE SWITCHES FREQS (OR NAV RADIOS).

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.