Narrative:

There were numerous aircraft holding inbound to dfw. We were on a delay vector and received holding clearance from ZFW. Cleared to acton 50 NM fix to hold southwest, right turns, 10 NM legs efc. Our position upon receipt of clearance was approximately 35 NM from acton on the 200 degree right (i.e., inside requested holding DME). Left turn to acton intersection was initiated, which is 50 DME from acton VOR on the arrival radial (all other holding clrncs issued were to the 50 NM DME fix on the acton 1 arrival--controller was not utilizing cottn intersection to describe the holding point). Upon wings level, heading direct to cottn intersection, controller asked, 'what is your heading?' our reply: 'proceeding direct to cottn intersection to hold.' controller answered, 'I wanted you to make a right turn (pause), what is your heading, now?' we told him our present heading. Controller said, 'ok, I'm sorry for the confusion. Turn right to...heading for radar vectors for the arrival.' no further discussion of misunderstanding of holding clearance took place. Flight proceeded normally to destination. Contributing factors: 1) similar clrncs language was being used for al other aircraft, as was utilized for us. However, we did not receive an inbound course as part of the holding clearance, which set the stage for our pre-judgement of the clearance. 2) we were taken off the arrival route for radar vectors approximately 5-10 mins before incident, placing us in position south of the arrival corridor. 3) frequency congestion during a very busy arrival period placed limited ability to confirm the clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ISSUED HOLDING CLRNC WITH NO INBOUND COURSE. TURNED LEFT TO INTERCEPT PUBLISHED RADIAL. ATC THEN SAID WANTED RIGHT TURN.

Narrative: THERE WERE NUMEROUS ACFT HOLDING INBND TO DFW. WE WERE ON A DELAY VECTOR AND RECEIVED HOLDING CLRNC FROM ZFW. CLRED TO ACTON 50 NM FIX TO HOLD SW, RIGHT TURNS, 10 NM LEGS EFC. OUR POS UPON RECEIPT OF CLRNC WAS APPROX 35 NM FROM ACTON ON THE 200 DEG R (I.E., INSIDE REQUESTED HOLDING DME). LEFT TURN TO ACTON INTXN WAS INITIATED, WHICH IS 50 DME FROM ACTON VOR ON THE ARR RADIAL (ALL OTHER HOLDING CLRNCS ISSUED WERE TO THE 50 NM DME FIX ON THE ACTON 1 ARR--CTLR WAS NOT UTILIZING COTTN INTXN TO DESCRIBE THE HOLDING POINT). UPON WINGS LEVEL, HDG DIRECT TO COTTN INTXN, CTLR ASKED, 'WHAT IS YOUR HDG?' OUR REPLY: 'PROCEEDING DIRECT TO COTTN INTXN TO HOLD.' CTLR ANSWERED, 'I WANTED YOU TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN (PAUSE), WHAT IS YOUR HDG, NOW?' WE TOLD HIM OUR PRESENT HDG. CTLR SAID, 'OK, I'M SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION. TURN RIGHT TO...HDG FOR RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ARR.' NO FURTHER DISCUSSION OF MISUNDERSTANDING OF HOLDING CLRNC TOOK PLACE. FLT PROCEEDED NORMALLY TO DEST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) SIMILAR CLRNCS LANGUAGE WAS BEING USED FOR AL OTHER ACFT, AS WAS UTILIZED FOR US. HOWEVER, WE DID NOT RECEIVE AN INBND COURSE AS PART OF THE HOLDING CLRNC, WHICH SET THE STAGE FOR OUR PRE-JUDGEMENT OF THE CLRNC. 2) WE WERE TAKEN OFF THE ARR RTE FOR RADAR VECTORS APPROX 5-10 MINS BEFORE INCIDENT, PLACING US IN POS S OF THE ARR CORRIDOR. 3) FREQ CONGESTION DURING A VERY BUSY ARR PERIOD PLACED LIMITED ABILITY TO CONFIRM THE CLRNC.

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.