Flight crew of large transport held at mcb VOR instead of macaw intersection.

Attributes
ACN	134520
Time
Date	199001
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mcb
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 18000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zhu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	134520
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
ASRS Report	135133
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Chart Or Publication
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

Tracking into msy VOR on J35 for landing at msy we received the reported WX for msy which was below minimums for our high minimum cap. When ZHU was advised of this fact, we were given a right turn back to macaw (msy 351 degree right 31 DME) to hold north, right turns on J35. Shortly before this we had passed over mcb VOR and that is what we understood to be the holding fix, and that is what we read back. The ATC controller spoke with a southern accent and the crew spoke with a northern accent and therefore the pronunciations of macaw and mccomb were confused at both ends of the communications. The error was not noticed until the aircraft was north of mcb VOR. Recommend that macaw intersection be given a new name to eliminate any possibility of confusion.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT HELD AT MCB VOR INSTEAD OF MACAW INTERSECTION.

Narrative: TRACKING INTO MSY VOR ON J35 FOR LNDG AT MSY WE RECEIVED THE RPTED WX FOR MSY WHICH WAS BELOW MINIMUMS FOR OUR HIGH MINIMUM CAP. WHEN ZHU WAS ADVISED OF THIS FACT, WE WERE GIVEN A RIGHT TURN BACK TO MACAW (MSY 351 DEG R 31 DME) TO HOLD N, RIGHT TURNS ON J35. SHORTLY BEFORE THIS WE HAD PASSED OVER MCB VOR AND THAT IS WHAT WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE HOLDING FIX, AND THAT IS WHAT WE READ BACK. THE ATC CTLR SPOKE WITH A SOUTHERN ACCENT AND THE CREW SPOKE WITH A NORTHERN ACCENT AND THEREFORE THE PRONUNCIATIONS OF MACAW AND MCCOMB WERE CONFUSED AT BOTH ENDS OF THE COMS. THE ERROR WAS NOT NOTICED UNTIL THE ACFT WAS N OF MCB VOR. RECOMMEND THAT MACAW INTXN BE GIVEN A NEW NAME TO ELIMINATE ANY POSSIBILITY OF CONFUSION.

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.