Narrative:

Cleared to hold at colax intersection on scurry arrival into dfw. Entered holding position into the FMC. The FMC displayed holding pattern automatically and entered holding as displayed on CDU. However, the pattern displayed on the CDU was for a standard hold, while the actual pattern at colax is a non standard pattern (left turns). Did not make an entire leg in pattern before we were cleared direct to scurry for the arrival. I'm not positive, but I don't believe we were cleared to hold at colax as depicted, but asked just to hold at colax. In any case, we entered holding for a standard pattern rather than the depicted non standard pattern. After leaving holding we were questioned by ATC what type of pattern our arrival chart showed for colax. At this time we realized that colax was a left turn pattern. It was a mistake that was prompted probably by 2 reasons: 1) believing that the computer generated pattern was correct and 2) not catching the difference when checking the arrival plate. The best remedy to avoid this situation would be to double check the arrival page pattern, but I also think it would be better to have the computer display no holding pattern at all until you have selected either right or left for the pattern unless it is contained correctly in the data base.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR WDB UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. WRONG TURN AT HOLDING PATTERN ENTRY.

Narrative: CLRED TO HOLD AT COLAX INTXN ON SCURRY ARR INTO DFW. ENTERED HOLDING POS INTO THE FMC. THE FMC DISPLAYED HOLDING PATTERN AUTOMATICALLY AND ENTERED HOLDING AS DISPLAYED ON CDU. HOWEVER, THE PATTERN DISPLAYED ON THE CDU WAS FOR A STANDARD HOLD, WHILE THE ACTUAL PATTERN AT COLAX IS A NON STANDARD PATTERN (LEFT TURNS). DID NOT MAKE AN ENTIRE LEG IN PATTERN BEFORE WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO SCURRY FOR THE ARR. I'M NOT POSITIVE, BUT I DON'T BELIEVE WE WERE CLRED TO HOLD AT COLAX AS DEPICTED, BUT ASKED JUST TO HOLD AT COLAX. IN ANY CASE, WE ENTERED HOLDING FOR A STANDARD PATTERN RATHER THAN THE DEPICTED NON STANDARD PATTERN. AFTER LEAVING HOLDING WE WERE QUESTIONED BY ATC WHAT TYPE OF PATTERN OUR ARR CHART SHOWED FOR COLAX. AT THIS TIME WE REALIZED THAT COLAX WAS A LEFT TURN PATTERN. IT WAS A MISTAKE THAT WAS PROMPTED PROBABLY BY 2 REASONS: 1) BELIEVING THAT THE COMPUTER GENERATED PATTERN WAS CORRECT AND 2) NOT CATCHING THE DIFFERENCE WHEN CHKING THE ARR PLATE. THE BEST REMEDY TO AVOID THIS SITUATION WOULD BE TO DOUBLE CHK THE ARR PAGE PATTERN, BUT I ALSO THINK IT WOULD BE BETTER TO HAVE THE COMPUTER DISPLAY NO HOLDING PATTERN AT ALL UNTIL YOU HAVE SELECTED EITHER RIGHT OR LEFT FOR THE PATTERN UNLESS IT IS CONTAINED CORRECTLY IN THE DATA BASE.

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.