Narrative:

The WX was clear and VFR. Our flight plan and fuel load called for no alternate or holding. ATC gave us first a 25 min hold then added a further 10 mins to the holding time. Our clearance was to hold at penns intersection as published (STAR into ewr). I checked the holding instructions and reviewed the hold entry. At 14 DME from bwz the captain started the right turn into holding. At this point I continued with my other duties, checking fuel to determine if we would need to go to an alternate, advising company, advising passenger, checking alternate WX, etc, etc. After, I think, the second turn in holding, ATC asked if we fully understood the holding instructions. I replied affirmative. A short time later ATC asked about our holding. I briefly consulted with the captain and then replied that we were correcting back to the radial. Nothing more was said until we were released from holding. At that time the controller gave us a phone # to call as (he said) traffic sep had been compromised (from 5-4 mi). It's my belief that the captain added too much wind correction in the first turn (see diagram). Subsequent holding was ok. Unfortunately I was out of the loop for much of the time due to the very high workload in this type of situation, and also the fact that the captain was high experienced (hired in 1968). I must say that in a 3 crew aircraft the workload is greatly reduced and both pilots can concentrate on flying and not on all the other secondary tasks that are required of us.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG TRACK DEVIATION DURING AHD ON STAR INTO EWR.

Narrative: THE WX WAS CLR AND VFR. OUR FLT PLAN AND FUEL LOAD CALLED FOR NO ALTERNATE OR HOLDING. ATC GAVE US FIRST A 25 MIN HOLD THEN ADDED A FURTHER 10 MINS TO THE HOLDING TIME. OUR CLRNC WAS TO HOLD AT PENNS INTXN AS PUBLISHED (STAR INTO EWR). I CHKED THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS AND REVIEWED THE HOLD ENTRY. AT 14 DME FROM BWZ THE CAPT STARTED THE RIGHT TURN INTO HOLDING. AT THIS POINT I CONTINUED WITH MY OTHER DUTIES, CHKING FUEL TO DETERMINE IF WE WOULD NEED TO GO TO AN ALTERNATE, ADVISING COMPANY, ADVISING PAX, CHKING ALTERNATE WX, ETC, ETC. AFTER, I THINK, THE SECOND TURN IN HOLDING, ATC ASKED IF WE FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. I REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE. A SHORT TIME LATER ATC ASKED ABOUT OUR HOLDING. I BRIEFLY CONSULTED WITH THE CAPT AND THEN REPLIED THAT WE WERE CORRECTING BACK TO THE RADIAL. NOTHING MORE WAS SAID UNTIL WE WERE RELEASED FROM HOLDING. AT THAT TIME THE CTLR GAVE US A PHONE # TO CALL AS (HE SAID) TFC SEP HAD BEEN COMPROMISED (FROM 5-4 MI). IT'S MY BELIEF THAT THE CAPT ADDED TOO MUCH WIND CORRECTION IN THE FIRST TURN (SEE DIAGRAM). SUBSEQUENT HOLDING WAS OK. UNFORTUNATELY I WAS OUT OF THE LOOP FOR MUCH OF THE TIME DUE TO THE VERY HIGH WORKLOAD IN THIS TYPE OF SITUATION, AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THE CAPT WAS HIGH EXPERIENCED (HIRED IN 1968). I MUST SAY THAT IN A 3 CREW ACFT THE WORKLOAD IS GREATLY REDUCED AND BOTH PLTS CAN CONCENTRATE ON FLYING AND NOT ON ALL THE OTHER SECONDARY TASKS THAT ARE REQUIRED OF US.

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.