Narrative:

We were on a routine flight originating from trk en route to sdl, flying at an assigned altitude of FL390. The flight was cleared by abq ARTCC to sdl via direct drk VOR and the ferrer 2 arrival, descend and maintain FL270. This clearance was issued approximately 50-75 mi northwest of the drk VOR. At approximately 14 NM northwest of the drk VOR, we were instructed to turn left to a heading of 085 degrees and intercept the srp 352 degree right and resume the ferrer arrival. My copilot read back the clearance as 'fly heading 085 degree right to intercept the srp 355 degree right.' I corrected his statement concerning the radial. He then responded with the correct readback. Because of our original clearance to fly direct drk VOR, our close proximity to drk VOR when the amended clearance was issued (approximately 13 NM) and the copilot's misstatement of the assigned radial, I failed to hear/understand the VOR on which the radial was predicated. I was under the incorrect assumption we ere to fly 085 degree heading to intercept and track inbound on the drk 352 degree right. Because of our close proximity to drk VOR, the speed at whch we were flying (approximately 6 mi/min) and our nominal rate of descend required to make the published crossing restriction at radom intersection, we had little time to discuss our amended clearance (approximately 20 seconds). Within approximately 1 min of our clearance to fly 085 degree heading for the radial intercept, ATC issued us an immediate 90 degree left turn with an amended altitude of FL290. When that clearance was received, we were descending out of 28300' MSL at approximately 3000 FPM. I immediately started the turn and climbed back to FL290. We then received other heading changes from ATC, eventually intercepting the srp 352 degree resuming the ferrer 2 arrival. The rest of the descent, approach and landing were normal. I feel there are several factors which could have prevented this incident/ misunderstanding from occurring: ATC could have stated the clearance as follows: 'turn left heading 085 degrees to intercept the salt river 352 degree right southeast of the drk VOR and resume the ferrer 2 arrival. This would have taken the drk transition completely out of the picture and made the clearance amendment more understandable. I should not have allowed my copilot's incorrect clearance readback to distract me. Because the amended clearance was issued so close to the drk VOR, I should have questioned ATC on the reasoning of such a clearance. This however would have been very difficult due to the short time frame this occurred in and the high radio frequency congestion.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMT TRACK HEADING DEVIATION ON STAR INTO SDL.

Narrative: WE WERE ON A ROUTINE FLT ORIGINATING FROM TRK ENRTE TO SDL, FLYING AT AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL390. THE FLT WAS CLRED BY ABQ ARTCC TO SDL VIA DIRECT DRK VOR AND THE FERRER 2 ARR, DSND AND MAINTAIN FL270. THIS CLRNC WAS ISSUED APPROX 50-75 MI NW OF THE DRK VOR. AT APPROX 14 NM NW OF THE DRK VOR, WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TURN LEFT TO A HDG OF 085 DEGS AND INTERCEPT THE SRP 352 DEG R AND RESUME THE FERRER ARR. MY COPLT READ BACK THE CLRNC AS 'FLY HDG 085 DEG R TO INTERCEPT THE SRP 355 DEG R.' I CORRECTED HIS STATEMENT CONCERNING THE RADIAL. HE THEN RESPONDED WITH THE CORRECT READBACK. BECAUSE OF OUR ORIGINAL CLRNC TO FLY DIRECT DRK VOR, OUR CLOSE PROX TO DRK VOR WHEN THE AMENDED CLRNC WAS ISSUED (APPROX 13 NM) AND THE COPLT'S MISSTATEMENT OF THE ASSIGNED RADIAL, I FAILED TO HEAR/UNDERSTAND THE VOR ON WHICH THE RADIAL WAS PREDICATED. I WAS UNDER THE INCORRECT ASSUMPTION WE ERE TO FLY 085 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT AND TRACK INBND ON THE DRK 352 DEG R. BECAUSE OF OUR CLOSE PROX TO DRK VOR, THE SPD AT WHCH WE WERE FLYING (APPROX 6 MI/MIN) AND OUR NOMINAL RATE OF DSND REQUIRED TO MAKE THE PUBLISHED XING RESTRICTION AT RADOM INTXN, WE HAD LITTLE TIME TO DISCUSS OUR AMENDED CLRNC (APPROX 20 SECS). WITHIN APPROX 1 MIN OF OUR CLRNC TO FLY 085 DEG HDG FOR THE RADIAL INTERCEPT, ATC ISSUED US AN IMMEDIATE 90 DEG LEFT TURN WITH AN AMENDED ALT OF FL290. WHEN THAT CLRNC WAS RECEIVED, WE WERE DSNDING OUT OF 28300' MSL AT APPROX 3000 FPM. I IMMEDIATELY STARTED THE TURN AND CLBED BACK TO FL290. WE THEN RECEIVED OTHER HDG CHANGES FROM ATC, EVENTUALLY INTERCEPTING THE SRP 352 DEG RESUMING THE FERRER 2 ARR. THE REST OF THE DSNT, APCH AND LNDG WERE NORMAL. I FEEL THERE ARE SEVERAL FACTORS WHICH COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT/ MISUNDERSTANDING FROM OCCURRING: ATC COULD HAVE STATED THE CLRNC AS FOLLOWS: 'TURN LEFT HDG 085 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE SALT RIVER 352 DEG R SE OF THE DRK VOR AND RESUME THE FERRER 2 ARR. THIS WOULD HAVE TAKEN THE DRK TRANSITION COMPLETELY OUT OF THE PICTURE AND MADE THE CLRNC AMENDMENT MORE UNDERSTANDABLE. I SHOULD NOT HAVE ALLOWED MY COPLT'S INCORRECT CLRNC READBACK TO DISTRACT ME. BECAUSE THE AMENDED CLRNC WAS ISSUED SO CLOSE TO THE DRK VOR, I SHOULD HAVE QUESTIONED ATC ON THE REASONING OF SUCH A CLRNC. THIS HOWEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT DUE TO THE SHORT TIME FRAME THIS OCCURRED IN AND THE HIGH RADIO FREQ CONGESTION.

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.