Narrative:

We were southbound on radar vectors from sea ARTCC and had been given vectors to intercept the mfr 316 degree right and cleared to 9000' MSL. Then handed off to mfr approach. Mfr approach then gave us this clearance: 'cleared to hold at samie on the mfr 316 degree right, left turns 1 min legs, maintain 9000', efc XA15.' I read back, 'cleared to samie and hold as published, maintain 9000.' at 25 DME we were cleared to 8000'. Upon entering the hold, cleared to 7000' MSL. After 1 turn in the holding pattern we were cleared for the ILS approach. Upon tuning the localizer frequency I realized our error. We had been holding 6.1 NM northwest of samie per the charts. Samie is a fix on the localizer frequency, not the VOR. Upon review after the flight I can see where both the controller and the flight crew were in error. Samie is not the mfr 316 degree right, but on the localizer. Samie DME is localizer DME, not mfr VOR DME. We as a flight crew normally will have #1 navigation and #1 DME selected to the same frequency. As we were cleared to the mfr VOR neither the first officer nor myself thought to change the DME to localizer frequency, hence had the wrong DME information and did not realize this until we switched to the localizer, at which point we discovered that we were 6.1 NM farther from the airport than we should have been. The controller issued a clearance that was in error on which NAVAID to use, and the flight crew was in error to assume the controller was correct and not double check the issued clearance and correct the controller. The clearance should have been 'intercept the localizer and hold at samie, left turns, 1 min legs, maintain 9000', efc XA15.' as it was, we were fortunate the MEA was 7000' and we were VMC on top.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR GAVE FAULTY CLRNC CAUSING ACR LTT TO USE WRONG NAVIGATIONAL FAC HOLDING PATTERN RESULTING IN 6 MILE TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: WE WERE SBND ON RADAR VECTORS FROM SEA ARTCC AND HAD BEEN GIVEN VECTORS TO INTERCEPT THE MFR 316 DEG R AND CLRED TO 9000' MSL. THEN HANDED OFF TO MFR APCH. MFR APCH THEN GAVE US THIS CLRNC: 'CLRED TO HOLD AT SAMIE ON THE MFR 316 DEG R, LEFT TURNS 1 MIN LEGS, MAINTAIN 9000', EFC XA15.' I READ BACK, 'CLRED TO SAMIE AND HOLD AS PUBLISHED, MAINTAIN 9000.' AT 25 DME WE WERE CLRED TO 8000'. UPON ENTERING THE HOLD, CLRED TO 7000' MSL. AFTER 1 TURN IN THE HOLDING PATTERN WE WERE CLRED FOR THE ILS APCH. UPON TUNING THE LOC FREQ I REALIZED OUR ERROR. WE HAD BEEN HOLDING 6.1 NM NW OF SAMIE PER THE CHARTS. SAMIE IS A FIX ON THE LOC FREQ, NOT THE VOR. UPON REVIEW AFTER THE FLT I CAN SEE WHERE BOTH THE CTLR AND THE FLT CREW WERE IN ERROR. SAMIE IS NOT THE MFR 316 DEG R, BUT ON THE LOC. SAMIE DME IS LOC DME, NOT MFR VOR DME. WE AS A FLT CREW NORMALLY WILL HAVE #1 NAV AND #1 DME SELECTED TO THE SAME FREQ. AS WE WERE CLRED TO THE MFR VOR NEITHER THE F/O NOR MYSELF THOUGHT TO CHANGE THE DME TO LOC FREQ, HENCE HAD THE WRONG DME INFO AND DID NOT REALIZE THIS UNTIL WE SWITCHED TO THE LOC, AT WHICH POINT WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE 6.1 NM FARTHER FROM THE ARPT THAN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC THAT WAS IN ERROR ON WHICH NAVAID TO USE, AND THE FLT CREW WAS IN ERROR TO ASSUME THE CTLR WAS CORRECT AND NOT DOUBLE CHK THE ISSUED CLRNC AND CORRECT THE CTLR. THE CLRNC SHOULD HAVE BEEN 'INTERCEPT THE LOC AND HOLD AT SAMIE, LEFT TURNS, 1 MIN LEGS, MAINTAIN 9000', EFC XA15.' AS IT WAS, WE WERE FORTUNATE THE MEA WAS 7000' AND WE WERE VMC ON TOP.

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.