Narrative:

En route southbound J143 between rbg and eni. ZOA issued 'vector 190 degree expect direct pye in 30 mi.' turned to heading and tuned pye VOR on #2 VOR (flight guidance autoplt on). Next, given holding instructions to go 'direct eni, hold north on J143.' (efc XA15Z.) clearance was issued before I was ready (did not expect it, as controller did not say 'I have holding instructions when you are ready to copy' as they usually do). Consequently, as the holding clearance began, I grabbed for my pen and kneeboard to write it down. I wrote down 'north J143 efc 15.' I checked the #2 VOR needle (which was tuned to pye) and initiated a turn to it. As the efc was 45 mins away and fuel was close, the captain and I began to discuss and plan fuel. My mistake was that I thought we had been cleared to pye to hold on J143. I assumed this because of the previous vector clearance. The captain knew we were cleared to eni to hold but in his concern to take care of the fuel planning he did not see that I had tuned pye when we had been issued the 190 degree vector. His (#1 VOR) was tuned to sfo, our destination. We discovered our error about 30 mi past eni, when we noticed other flts being issued holding at eni. We turned back and held at eni. Controllers said nothing prior to our discovery. Recommend writing down entire clearance. I suspect I read back 'eni' but did not write it. Also, captain said afterward, he tends not to doublechk first officer's he feels are competent as much as others he doesn't know/trust. We both will pay closer attention.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MISINTERPRETED HOLDING FIX AND FLEW PAST IT BEFORE TURNING BACK IN.

Narrative: ENRTE SBND J143 BETWEEN RBG AND ENI. ZOA ISSUED 'VECTOR 190 DEG EXPECT DIRECT PYE IN 30 MI.' TURNED TO HDG AND TUNED PYE VOR ON #2 VOR (FLT GUIDANCE AUTOPLT ON). NEXT, GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS TO GO 'DIRECT ENI, HOLD N ON J143.' (EFC XA15Z.) CLRNC WAS ISSUED BEFORE I WAS READY (DID NOT EXPECT IT, AS CTLR DID NOT SAY 'I HAVE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS WHEN YOU ARE READY TO COPY' AS THEY USUALLY DO). CONSEQUENTLY, AS THE HOLDING CLRNC BEGAN, I GRABBED FOR MY PEN AND KNEEBOARD TO WRITE IT DOWN. I WROTE DOWN 'N J143 EFC 15.' I CHECKED THE #2 VOR NEEDLE (WHICH WAS TUNED TO PYE) AND INITIATED A TURN TO IT. AS THE EFC WAS 45 MINS AWAY AND FUEL WAS CLOSE, THE CAPT AND I BEGAN TO DISCUSS AND PLAN FUEL. MY MISTAKE WAS THAT I THOUGHT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO PYE TO HOLD ON J143. I ASSUMED THIS BECAUSE OF THE PREVIOUS VECTOR CLRNC. THE CAPT KNEW WE WERE CLRED TO ENI TO HOLD BUT IN HIS CONCERN TO TAKE CARE OF THE FUEL PLANNING HE DID NOT SEE THAT I HAD TUNED PYE WHEN WE HAD BEEN ISSUED THE 190 DEG VECTOR. HIS (#1 VOR) WAS TUNED TO SFO, OUR DEST. WE DISCOVERED OUR ERROR ABOUT 30 MI PAST ENI, WHEN WE NOTICED OTHER FLTS BEING ISSUED HOLDING AT ENI. WE TURNED BACK AND HELD AT ENI. CTLRS SAID NOTHING PRIOR TO OUR DISCOVERY. RECOMMEND WRITING DOWN ENTIRE CLRNC. I SUSPECT I READ BACK 'ENI' BUT DID NOT WRITE IT. ALSO, CAPT SAID AFTERWARD, HE TENDS NOT TO DOUBLECHK F/O'S HE FEELS ARE COMPETENT AS MUCH AS OTHERS HE DOESN'T KNOW/TRUST. WE BOTH WILL PAY CLOSER ATTN.

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