Narrative:

Left msp for flight to grr. Had discussed WX with dispatch, most of thunderstorm cells were sse of airport moving east, so added deviation fuel. On departure was given deviation route direct grb tvc-grr. Upon reaching grb area radar indicated large area of level 4 thunderstorms approaching grr from the west. Had first officer call tower at grr. Tower indicated thunderstorms moving over field with visual dropping to 1/4 mi heavy rain. With main runway closed and only VOR approach available, told center I would need to hold till storms passed. First officer then in process of contacting dispatch, ATC gave clearance to proceed by the 25 mi arc of tvc VOR and hold north on tvc 360 degree radial right hand turns. First officer's attention was diverted during clearance but heard my repeat back clearance. I proceeded by 25 mi arc to 25 mi north of tvc VOR and proceeded inbound deviating for small cells. About 15 mi or less, north of tvc, center called and stated they wanted me to hold, not at tvc VOR, but at the 25 mi DME fix. I then turned back and started the hold at the 25 mi DME fix. Contributing factors were: center was extremely busy, first officer's attention was diverted, my attention was keyed to WX avoidance, and route planning to stay on the 25 mi arc. My mind was fixed on the 25 mi arc, not the fix to hold over. In my judgement in severe WX conditions when all are extremely busy, we and ATC, if a complicated clearance is received, all pilots and ATC's attention should be fixed on a clear understanding that the clearance is understood by all.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MISUNDERSTANDING HIS CLRNC LIMIT AND HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS LEADS TO A TRACK DEV DURING AN ARR TO GRR IN CONVECTIVE WX.

Narrative: LEFT MSP FOR FLT TO GRR. HAD DISCUSSED WX WITH DISPATCH, MOST OF TSTM CELLS WERE SSE OF ARPT MOVING E, SO ADDED DEV FUEL. ON DEP WAS GIVEN DEV RTE DIRECT GRB TVC-GRR. UPON REACHING GRB AREA RADAR INDICATED LARGE AREA OF LEVEL 4 TSTMS APCHING GRR FROM THE W. HAD FO CALL TWR AT GRR. TWR INDICATED TSTMS MOVING OVER FIELD WITH VISUAL DROPPING TO 1/4 MI HVY RAIN. WITH MAIN RWY CLOSED AND ONLY VOR APCH AVAILABLE, TOLD CTR I WOULD NEED TO HOLD TILL STORMS PASSED. FO THEN IN PROCESS OF CONTACTING DISPATCH, ATC GAVE CLRNC TO PROCEED BY THE 25 MI ARC OF TVC VOR AND HOLD N ON TVC 360 DEG RADIAL R HAND TURNS. FO'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED DURING CLRNC BUT HEARD MY REPEAT BACK CLRNC. I PROCEEDED BY 25 MI ARC TO 25 MI N OF TVC VOR AND PROCEEDED INBOUND DEVIATING FOR SMALL CELLS. ABOUT 15 MI OR LESS, N OF TVC, CTR CALLED AND STATED THEY WANTED ME TO HOLD, NOT AT TVC VOR, BUT AT THE 25 MI DME FIX. I THEN TURNED BACK AND STARTED THE HOLD AT THE 25 MI DME FIX. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: CTR WAS EXTREMELY BUSY, FO'S ATTN WAS DIVERTED, MY ATTN WAS KEYED TO WX AVOIDANCE, AND RTE PLANNING TO STAY ON THE 25 MI ARC. MY MIND WAS FIXED ON THE 25 MI ARC, NOT THE FIX TO HOLD OVER. IN MY JUDGEMENT IN SEVERE WX CONDITIONS WHEN ALL ARE EXTREMELY BUSY, WE AND ATC, IF A COMPLICATED CLRNC IS RECEIVED, ALL PLTS AND ATC'S ATTN SHOULD BE FIXED ON A CLR UNDERSTANDING THAT THE CLRNC IS UNDERSTOOD BY ALL.

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.