Flight crew of B737-700 on civet STAR to lax; misinterp approach controller's abbreviated assignment...

Attributes
ACN	693751
Time
Date	200604
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : pdz.vortac
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 19000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-700
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : civet5
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 190 flight time total : 16500 flight time type : 5250
ASRS Report	693751
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 18000 flight time type : 11000
ASRS Report	693752
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : issued advisory flight crew : returned to original clearance
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

The center controller kept us high for traffic ahead and below. Then issued lower and a handoff to socal. Socal: cross gramm at FL190. Company: we are doing our best; we got a late descent from center. Socal: reduce to 250 KTS. Company: 250 speed; we will be unable FL190 at gramm. Socal: 25L for traffic. Company: 25L. Socal: descend via the civet 5 profile. Company: descend via civet 5; we are on an assigned heading; do you want us back on the arrival? Socal: you were not given a heading turn right direct to luvyn. Company: repeat the fix. Socal: l-u-V-Y-north runway 25L. The context of the communications at the time of the error were to avoid traffic/maintain separation with traffic directly ahead and below. We did not follow the change of subject in the conversation to runway assignment because socal did not use the words 'expect' or 'runway' in the instructions. Also; we did not use the word 'turn to' or 'heading' in our readback. Both ATC and pilots abbreviate communications when the frequency is congested. Formal precise communications prevent the majority of miscoms; however; this does consume more 'air time.' the first opportunity to avoid this error was for the controller to use proper phraseology; which he did not. I will once again emphasize this for myself and my crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF B737-700 ON CIVET STAR TO LAX; MISINTERP APCH CTLR'S ABBREVIATED ASSIGNMENT OF RWY 25L AS A VECTOR 25 DEGS L OF COURSE. RPTRS CITE NON STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY.

Narrative: THE CTR CTLR KEPT US HIGH FOR TFC AHEAD AND BELOW. THEN ISSUED LOWER AND A HDOF TO SOCAL. SOCAL: CROSS GRAMM AT FL190. COMPANY: WE ARE DOING OUR BEST; WE GOT A LATE DSCNT FROM CTR. SOCAL: REDUCE TO 250 KTS. COMPANY: 250 SPD; WE WILL BE UNABLE FL190 AT GRAMM. SOCAL: 25L FOR TFC. COMPANY: 25L. SOCAL: DSND VIA THE CIVET 5 PROFILE. COMPANY: DSND VIA CIVET 5; WE ARE ON AN ASSIGNED HDG; DO YOU WANT US BACK ON THE ARR? SOCAL: YOU WERE NOT GIVEN A HDG TURN R DIRECT TO LUVYN. COMPANY: REPEAT THE FIX. SOCAL: L-U-V-Y-N RWY 25L. THE CONTEXT OF THE COMS AT THE TIME OF THE ERROR WERE TO AVOID TFC/MAINTAIN SEPARATION WITH TFC DIRECTLY AHEAD AND BELOW. WE DID NOT FOLLOW THE CHANGE OF SUBJECT IN THE CONVERSATION TO RWY ASSIGNMENT BECAUSE SOCAL DID NOT USE THE WORDS 'EXPECT' OR 'RWY' IN THE INSTRUCTIONS. ALSO; WE DID NOT USE THE WORD 'TURN TO' OR 'HDG' IN OUR READBACK. BOTH ATC AND PLTS ABBREVIATE COMS WHEN THE FREQ IS CONGESTED. FORMAL PRECISE COMS PREVENT THE MAJORITY OF MISCOMS; HOWEVER; THIS DOES CONSUME MORE 'AIR TIME.' THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY TO AVOID THIS ERROR WAS FOR THE CTLR TO USE PROPER PHRASEOLOGY; WHICH HE DID NOT. I WILL ONCE AGAIN EMPHASIZE THIS FOR MYSELF AND MY CREW.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.

Flight crew of B737-700 on civet STAR to lax; misinterp approach controller's abbreviated assignment of runway 25L as a vector 25 degrees left of course. Rptrs cite non standard phraseology.