Possible violation of jfk air traffic area.

Attributes
ACN	135293
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 230 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 2100
ASRS Report	135293
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 3500 flight time type : 70
ASRS Report	135283
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Jan 1990, flight from bos to lga. En route kingston we were given holding instructions at kingston due to runway change at lga. We were released en route to lga and proceeded down V157, at 8000'. About 28 DME north of dpk, controller gave us heading of 190 degree. Several mins later, controller gave us descent to 4000', heading of 220 degree. Controller was busy with several company aircraft and I was careful to read back each instruction with the proper flight number. About 10-12 mi east of lga, controller cleared us direct lga, depart lga on 270 degree heading, 4000' (expressway visual apches to 31 in progress). It seemed like less than 1 min later controller gave us left turn to heading 130 degree. I repeated heading and flight number and we turned. As copilot and I were discussing the unusual routing to runway 31, controller asked why we were turning left to 130 degree and claimed those instructions were for another aircraft. He gave us an immediate tight right turn direct to lga and an approach was made to 31 and no more confusion encountered. I believe the workload was very high for the controllers due to the change in runways at lga, the resequencing of inbound aircraft and the fact that several company aircraft were on the frequency. Also, it was very difficult to question controller's directions since he was so busy giving instructions to numerous aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE VIOLATION OF JFK ATA.

Narrative: JAN 1990, FLT FROM BOS TO LGA. ENRTE KINGSTON WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT KINGSTON DUE TO RWY CHANGE AT LGA. WE WERE RELEASED ENRTE TO LGA AND PROCEEDED DOWN V157, AT 8000'. ABOUT 28 DME N OF DPK, CTLR GAVE US HDG OF 190 DEG. SEVERAL MINS LATER, CTLR GAVE US DSCNT TO 4000', HDG OF 220 DEG. CTLR WAS BUSY WITH SEVERAL COMPANY ACFT AND I WAS CAREFUL TO READ BACK EACH INSTRUCTION WITH THE PROPER FLT NUMBER. ABOUT 10-12 MI E OF LGA, CTLR CLRED US DIRECT LGA, DEPART LGA ON 270 DEG HDG, 4000' (EXPRESSWAY VISUAL APCHES TO 31 IN PROGRESS). IT SEEMED LIKE LESS THAN 1 MIN LATER CTLR GAVE US LEFT TURN TO HDG 130 DEG. I REPEATED HDG AND FLT NUMBER AND WE TURNED. AS COPLT AND I WERE DISCUSSING THE UNUSUAL ROUTING TO RWY 31, CTLR ASKED WHY WE WERE TURNING LEFT TO 130 DEG AND CLAIMED THOSE INSTRUCTIONS WERE FOR ANOTHER ACFT. HE GAVE US AN IMMEDIATE TIGHT RIGHT TURN DIRECT TO LGA AND AN APCH WAS MADE TO 31 AND NO MORE CONFUSION ENCOUNTERED. I BELIEVE THE WORKLOAD WAS VERY HIGH FOR THE CTLRS DUE TO THE CHANGE IN RWYS AT LGA, THE RESEQUENCING OF INBND ACFT AND THE FACT THAT SEVERAL COMPANY ACFT WERE ON THE FREQ. ALSO, IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO QUESTION CTLR'S DIRECTIONS SINCE HE WAS SO BUSY GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO NUMEROUS ACFT.

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.