Narrative:

Inbound to sna from psp via the kayoh 3 STAR. After crossing 'bands' intersection at 14000 ft MSL we were given a frequency change to socal approach. The controller gave us some instructions and the local altitude setting. Neither of us could make out anything but the altitude setting, so I asked the copilot to request from the controller a repeat of his instructions. He replied that after kayoh intersection we were cleared to resume the kayoh arrival. That was probably my first 'flag.' while it seemed that sometimes on this particular arrival we were cleared direct to kayoh (bypassing homeland-hdf) I had asked for and had gotten a repeat of the controller's instructions so I convinced myself that we were doing what we were instructed to do. Subsequently we were cleared to 8000 ft. While in a descent through 10500 ft we first got a TA and later an RA. I increased the descent rate and had visual contact with the climbing twin otter. The controller gave us an immediate right turn and then asked if we were going direct to kayoh. Realizing what had happened back with the repeated radio call, I told the controller what we had heard on the second transmission (he apparently failed to repeat the clearance direct to kayoh this second time). Personally I should have questioned the controller further after the initial confusion and the 'resume the kayoh arrival' should have given me another hint.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MD90 ACFT ON STAR. APCH CTLR GAVE A DIRECT CLRNC, BUT FLC DIDN'T HEAR IT AND ASKED TO REPEAT. APPARENTLY IN THE REPEAT CLRNC THE CTLR FORGOT TO INCLUDE THE DIRECT CLRNC. FLC RECEIVED TCASII RA REQUIRING DSCNT AND CTLR INTERVENED QUESTIONING THEIR HEADING AT WHICH TIME THE CTLR CLARIFIED THE DIRECT CLRNC.

Narrative: INBOUND TO SNA FROM PSP VIA THE KAYOH 3 STAR. AFTER XING 'BANDS' INTXN AT 14000 FT MSL WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE TO SOCAL APCH. THE CTLR GAVE US SOME INSTRUCTIONS AND THE LCL ALT SETTING. NEITHER OF US COULD MAKE OUT ANYTHING BUT THE ALT SETTING, SO I ASKED THE COPLT TO REQUEST FROM THE CTLR A REPEAT OF HIS INSTRUCTIONS. HE REPLIED THAT AFTER KAYOH INTXN WE WERE CLRED TO RESUME THE KAYOH ARR. THAT WAS PROBABLY MY FIRST 'FLAG.' WHILE IT SEEMED THAT SOMETIMES ON THIS PARTICULAR ARR WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO KAYOH (BYPASSING HOMELAND-HDF) I HAD ASKED FOR AND HAD GOTTEN A REPEAT OF THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS SO I CONVINCED MYSELF THAT WE WERE DOING WHAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO. SUBSEQUENTLY WE WERE CLRED TO 8000 FT. WHILE IN A DSCNT THROUGH 10500 FT WE FIRST GOT A TA AND LATER AN RA. I INCREASED THE DSCNT RATE AND HAD VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE CLBING TWIN OTTER. THE CTLR GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE R TURN AND THEN ASKED IF WE WERE GOING DIRECT TO KAYOH. REALIZING WHAT HAD HAPPENED BACK WITH THE REPEATED RADIO CALL, I TOLD THE CTLR WHAT WE HAD HEARD ON THE SECOND XMISSION (HE APPARENTLY FAILED TO REPEAT THE CLRNC DIRECT TO KAYOH THIS SECOND TIME). PERSONALLY I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED THE CTLR FURTHER AFTER THE INITIAL CONFUSION AND THE 'RESUME THE KAYOH ARR' SHOULD HAVE GIVEN ME ANOTHER HINT.

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.