Air carrier large transport overshot expected holding fix. Track deviation.

Attributes
ACN	105824
Time
Date	198902
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbv
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	arrival star : star enroute airway : v157
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 6100
ASRS Report	105820
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

On the ward 2 arrival to ewr, we understood holding instruction to be, 'hold southwest of the rbv VOR as published, maintain 12000'.' when we were past the holey intersection at approximately the rbv 238 degree right 8 DME, ZNY asked us where we were going and said we were instructed to hold at the holey intersection. We then made a 180 degree turn back to holey intersection and entered holding. We were not advised of any traffic conflicts. This incident occurred either because the controller gave us the instructions which we thought we heard, or it was due to anticipation by the crew of receiving instructions to hold at rbv and when given the instructions we mentally heard what we had been anticipating.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT OVERSHOT EXPECTED HOLDING FIX. TRACK DEVIATION.

Narrative: ON THE WARD 2 ARR TO EWR, WE UNDERSTOOD HOLDING INSTRUCTION TO BE, 'HOLD SW OF THE RBV VOR AS PUBLISHED, MAINTAIN 12000'.' WHEN WE WERE PAST THE HOLEY INTXN AT APPROX THE RBV 238 DEG R 8 DME, ZNY ASKED US WHERE WE WERE GOING AND SAID WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO HOLD AT THE HOLEY INTXN. WE THEN MADE A 180 DEG TURN BACK TO HOLEY INTXN AND ENTERED HOLDING. WE WERE NOT ADVISED OF ANY TFC CONFLICTS. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED EITHER BECAUSE THE CTLR GAVE US THE INSTRUCTIONS WHICH WE THOUGHT WE HEARD, OR IT WAS DUE TO ANTICIPATION BY THE CREW OF RECEIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD AT RBV AND WHEN GIVEN THE INSTRUCTIONS WE MENTALLY HEARD WHAT WE HAD BEEN ANTICIPATING.

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.