Narrative:

Wrong turn in holding, no conflict. Approaching atl from jax we were slowed and given holding right turns (as published) at sinca 15 NM legs. There were thunderstorms and clouds in the area. As we got to sinca we discussed holding farther away (rippi is the next fix out on the arrival from sinca). I started looking up the delay message to send the company, and cleared off the radio to give a passenger announcement. As I turned down my radio I heard the captain request holding at rippi. I did not hear the clearance he received. A few moments later we entered holding and started a right turn at rippi. About 1/2 way through the turn center/atl(?) approach cleared someone else to hold at rippi 'as published.' I immediately looked at the plate. As publication sinca is right/as publication rippi is left turns. We asked center which way we were supposed to turn, and they replied 'left turns next time.' throughout this time numerous aircraft were given holding instructions at different fixes, turns, etc (constant radio chatter). The captain didn't check his clearance vs the FMS and the chart. I didn't x-chk his clearance because I was doing pr work for the company. We were both exhausted after a 4 day rotation. Right turn were fixed in our heads because of the original clearance and the location of the WX (right turns placed us farther from the WX). I doubt atl would have noticed if we hadn't called since things were pretty confused.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT FLYING LGT CLEARED TO HOLD AT ALT ENTERED HOLDING PATTERN IN WRONG DIRECTION, CONTRARY TO PUBLISHED PROC.

Narrative: WRONG TURN IN HOLDING, NO CONFLICT. APCHING ATL FROM JAX WE WERE SLOWED AND GIVEN HOLDING RIGHT TURNS (AS PUBLISHED) AT SINCA 15 NM LEGS. THERE WERE TSTMS AND CLOUDS IN THE AREA. AS WE GOT TO SINCA WE DISCUSSED HOLDING FARTHER AWAY (RIPPI IS THE NEXT FIX OUT ON THE ARR FROM SINCA). I STARTED LOOKING UP THE DELAY MESSAGE TO SEND THE COMPANY, AND CLRED OFF THE RADIO TO GIVE A PAX ANNOUNCEMENT. AS I TURNED DOWN MY RADIO I HEARD THE CAPT REQUEST HOLDING AT RIPPI. I DID NOT HEAR THE CLRNC HE RECEIVED. A FEW MOMENTS LATER WE ENTERED HOLDING AND STARTED A RIGHT TURN AT RIPPI. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH THE TURN CENTER/ATL(?) APCH CLRED SOMEONE ELSE TO HOLD AT RIPPI 'AS PUBLISHED.' I IMMEDIATELY LOOKED AT THE PLATE. AS PUB SINCA IS RIGHT/AS PUB RIPPI IS LEFT TURNS. WE ASKED CENTER WHICH WAY WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TURN, AND THEY REPLIED 'LEFT TURNS NEXT TIME.' THROUGHOUT THIS TIME NUMEROUS ACFT WERE GIVEN HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AT DIFFERENT FIXES, TURNS, ETC (CONSTANT RADIO CHATTER). THE CAPT DIDN'T CHK HIS CLRNC VS THE FMS AND THE CHART. I DIDN'T X-CHK HIS CLRNC BECAUSE I WAS DOING PR WORK FOR THE COMPANY. WE WERE BOTH EXHAUSTED AFTER A 4 DAY ROTATION. RIGHT TURN WERE FIXED IN OUR HEADS BECAUSE OF THE ORIGINAL CLRNC AND THE LOCATION OF THE WX (RIGHT TURNS PLACED US FARTHER FROM THE WX). I DOUBT ATL WOULD HAVE NOTICED IF WE HADN'T CALLED SINCE THINGS WERE PRETTY CONFUSED.

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.