Narrative:

Air carrier X jfk-tpa rerte over darbs 1 arrival due to thunderstorms. Passing szw VOR, we were cleared to descend from FL250 to 15000 ft, clearance was set in MCP. We began a slow descent while slowing to 250 KTS for expected holding. Later holding clearance was tabir intersection as published. Approaching tabir intersection, thunderstorms required adjustment. New holding clearance 45 NM north pie, we were 3 mi out and entered holding manually instead of FMS. I called center with entering hold 17000 ft for 15000 ft XA19Z. As we stabilized outbound, center asked our altitude. I responded 16000 ft for 15000 ft. Controller says increase rate of descent and turn 40 degrees left. No TCASII TA or RA's occurred and targets appeared. Holding pattern was re-established almost immediately. It was never implied that we had to be at 15000 ft to enter the hold, also because of thunderstorms, late adjustments to holding pattern had to be accomplished quickly.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR FLC ISSUED ATC HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. WX ENCOUNTERED ALTERS DSCNT RATE. ATC RECOGNIZES SOME TYPE CONFLICTIONS, EXPEDITES DSCNT AND ISSUES TURNS. NO TFC IS OBSERVED ON TCASII, AND NO TFC IS ISSUED BY ATC. ACFT RETURNED TO HOLDING WITHOUT FURTHER COMMENT.

Narrative: ACR X JFK-TPA RERTE OVER DARBS 1 ARR DUE TO TSTMS. PASSING SZW VOR, WE WERE CLRED TO DSND FROM FL250 TO 15000 FT, CLRNC WAS SET IN MCP. WE BEGAN A SLOW DSCNT WHILE SLOWING TO 250 KTS FOR EXPECTED HOLDING. LATER HOLDING CLRNC WAS TABIR INTXN AS PUBLISHED. APCHING TABIR INTXN, TSTMS REQUIRED ADJUSTMENT. NEW HOLDING CLRNC 45 NM N PIE, WE WERE 3 MI OUT AND ENTERED HOLDING MANUALLY INSTEAD OF FMS. I CALLED CTR WITH ENTERING HOLD 17000 FT FOR 15000 FT XA19Z. AS WE STABILIZED OUTBOUND, CTR ASKED OUR ALT. I RESPONDED 16000 FT FOR 15000 FT. CTLR SAYS INCREASE RATE OF DSCNT AND TURN 40 DEGS L. NO TCASII TA OR RA'S OCCURRED AND TARGETS APPEARED. HOLDING PATTERN WAS RE-ESTABLISHED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS NEVER IMPLIED THAT WE HAD TO BE AT 15000 FT TO ENTER THE HOLD, ALSO BECAUSE OF TSTMS, LATE ADJUSTMENTS TO HOLDING PATTERN HAD TO BE ACCOMPLISHED QUICKLY.

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.