Narrative:

We were en route to lga. The WX was very bad. Light to moderate turbulence en route. IMC conditions, light icing, moderate rain, etc. The WX at lga was approximately 1000' overcast, 2 mi RF, winds 120 degrees at 20 KTS gusting to 30 KTS. They were using runway 13 for both arrs and departures. We were cruising up the nancy 3 arrival at approximately FL240. The ZNY controller was issuing holding to everyone. We were issued hold at what sounded like, '50 mi out of dupont on the 051 degree right, left turns, FL220.' I was flying. The captain read it back as above. The controller did not correct it. We were confused by that clearance and the captain tried to clarify it with the center controller, but he was very busy and the frequency was congested. The cockpit of the aircraft is also very noisy and makes cockpit communications very hard. Anyway, while we were trying to get the holding pattern clarified (it was actually supposed to be 5 mi south of dupont on the 051 degree right, left turns), we flew past it. The controller said he 'showed us 10 NM north of the holding pattern.' the captain said he read back 50 mi out and that's the way we understood it and tried to clarify it but the frequency was congested. The controller just said to enter the hold and then descended us to FL180. We entered the hold back at 5 mi south, left turns, 10 NM legs and didn't hear anything else about it. As far as we know there was no traffic conflict or any other problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF MLG MISSED HOLDING PATTERN. CONGESTED FREQ ZNY.

Narrative: WE WERE ENRTE TO LGA. THE WX WAS VERY BAD. LIGHT TO MODERATE TURB ENRTE. IMC CONDITIONS, LIGHT ICING, MODERATE RAIN, ETC. THE WX AT LGA WAS APPROX 1000' OVCST, 2 MI RF, WINDS 120 DEGS AT 20 KTS GUSTING TO 30 KTS. THEY WERE USING RWY 13 FOR BOTH ARRS AND DEPS. WE WERE CRUISING UP THE NANCY 3 ARR AT APPROX FL240. THE ZNY CTLR WAS ISSUING HOLDING TO EVERYONE. WE WERE ISSUED HOLD AT WHAT SOUNDED LIKE, '50 MI OUT OF DUPONT ON THE 051 DEG R, LEFT TURNS, FL220.' I WAS FLYING. THE CAPT READ IT BACK AS ABOVE. THE CTLR DID NOT CORRECT IT. WE WERE CONFUSED BY THAT CLRNC AND THE CAPT TRIED TO CLARIFY IT WITH THE CENTER CTLR, BUT HE WAS VERY BUSY AND THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED. THE COCKPIT OF THE ACFT IS ALSO VERY NOISY AND MAKES COCKPIT COMS VERY HARD. ANYWAY, WHILE WE WERE TRYING TO GET THE HOLDING PATTERN CLARIFIED (IT WAS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE 5 MI S OF DUPONT ON THE 051 DEG R, LEFT TURNS), WE FLEW PAST IT. THE CTLR SAID HE 'SHOWED US 10 NM N OF THE HOLDING PATTERN.' THE CAPT SAID HE READ BACK 50 MI OUT AND THAT'S THE WAY WE UNDERSTOOD IT AND TRIED TO CLARIFY IT BUT THE FREQ WAS CONGESTED. THE CTLR JUST SAID TO ENTER THE HOLD AND THEN DSNDED US TO FL180. WE ENTERED THE HOLD BACK AT 5 MI S, LEFT TURNS, 10 NM LEGS AND DIDN'T HEAR ANYTHING ELSE ABOUT IT. AS FAR AS WE KNOW THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT OR ANY OTHER PROB.

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.