Narrative:

En route to moses lake, wa, at 6000' on approaching batum intersection, I was instructed to hold at batum at or above 3000'. I acknowledged instruction and reported entering the hold. Almost immediately (before I could complete the first turn of the hold, I was 'cleared to pelly LOM (IAF) at 3000', report pelly outbnd.' since I had just passed the intersection, I instinctively turned to and proceeded to pelly rather than completing the holding pattern. Shortly the controller requested my position and I reported direct pelly the controller acknowledged. I proceeded to pelly LOM reported outbnd. Completed the procedure turn. Reported inbound at pelly and was cleared to land. Upon completing the IFR flight to my home base at friday harbor, wa. I began to wonder if I had made an inadvertent mistake by not completing the holding pattern before proceeding to pelly. Since arriving home I questioned a cfii who said there was nothing wrong with what I did, where as an ex-airline pilot said, I probably should have completed the circuit before proceeding to the LOM. I have been unable to find an answer to this question in any of my instrument training manuals. In the future when no time is given to have the holding fix and I am cleared to the next point I will be sure to question the controller to verify his intended meaning--complete circuit of hold or proceed direction. In this instance there was no possibility of conflict since there was no other traffic in the area, it was VFR and my wife is an excellent lookout.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT QUESTIONS ACTIONS REGARDING CLRNC.

Narrative: ENRTE TO MOSES LAKE, WA, AT 6000' ON APCHING BATUM INTXN, I WAS INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT BATUM AT OR ABOVE 3000'. I ACKNOWLEDGED INSTRUCTION AND RPTED ENTERING THE HOLD. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY (BEFORE I COULD COMPLETE THE FIRST TURN OF THE HOLD, I WAS 'CLRED TO PELLY LOM (IAF) AT 3000', RPT PELLY OUTBND.' SINCE I HAD JUST PASSED THE INTXN, I INSTINCTIVELY TURNED TO AND PROCEEDED TO PELLY RATHER THAN COMPLETING THE HOLDING PATTERN. SHORTLY THE CTLR REQUESTED MY POS AND I RPTED DIRECT PELLY THE CTLR ACKNOWLEDGED. I PROCEEDED TO PELLY LOM RPTED OUTBND. COMPLETED THE PROC TURN. RPTED INBND AT PELLY AND WAS CLRED TO LAND. UPON COMPLETING THE IFR FLT TO MY HOME BASE AT FRIDAY HARBOR, WA. I BEGAN TO WONDER IF I HAD MADE AN INADVERTENT MISTAKE BY NOT COMPLETING THE HOLDING PATTERN BEFORE PROCEEDING TO PELLY. SINCE ARRIVING HOME I QUESTIONED A CFII WHO SAID THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH WHAT I DID, WHERE AS AN EX-AIRLINE PLT SAID, I PROBABLY SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED THE CIRCUIT BEFORE PROCEEDING TO THE LOM. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND AN ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION IN ANY OF MY INSTRUMENT TRNING MANUALS. IN THE FUTURE WHEN NO TIME IS GIVEN TO HAVE THE HOLDING FIX AND I AM CLRED TO THE NEXT POINT I WILL BE SURE TO QUESTION THE CTLR TO VERIFY HIS INTENDED MEANING--COMPLETE CIRCUIT OF HOLD OR PROCEED DIRECTION. IN THIS INSTANCE THERE WAS NO POSSIBILITY OF CONFLICT SINCE THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE AREA, IT WAS VFR AND MY WIFE IS AN EXCELLENT LOOKOUT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.