An air carrier light transport crew entered holding 11 mi early.

Attributes
ACN	294278
Time
Date	199501
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : alb
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Beech 1900
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	other
Route In Use	enroute airway : v123 zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 175 flight time total : 4200 flight time type : 150
ASRS Report	294278
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 300 flight time total : 6200 flight time type : 5150
ASRS Report	294280
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

After initial climb out from alb, center advised of a hold for lga due to backlog of landing flts after cancellation of intrail restr. We accepted hold instructions at athos intersection on V123. Poor cockpit lighting in 1900 (BE02) contributed to misident of fix. Mistook 19 mi mark because I did not see 11 mi mark near alb on V123. Entered hold 11 mi early. Center cleared with albany approach and said no conflict, no problem. Made 1 360 degree turn to rejoin V123 and entered hold as directed. Contributing factors: short time interval from our position to holding fix. Hold was issued while we were still on climb out. Chart is poorly marked -- difficult to see in dimly lit cockpit. Metering program initiated only 15 mi from departure airport, was unexpected while aircraft was still in critical phase of flight.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR LTT CREW ENTERED HOLDING 11 MI EARLY.

Narrative: AFTER INITIAL CLBOUT FROM ALB, CTR ADVISED OF A HOLD FOR LGA DUE TO BACKLOG OF LNDG FLTS AFTER CANCELLATION OF INTRAIL RESTR. WE ACCEPTED HOLD INSTRUCTIONS AT ATHOS INTXN ON V123. POOR COCKPIT LIGHTING IN 1900 (BE02) CONTRIBUTED TO MISIDENT OF FIX. MISTOOK 19 MI MARK BECAUSE I DID NOT SEE 11 MI MARK NEAR ALB ON V123. ENTERED HOLD 11 MI EARLY. CTR CLRED WITH ALBANY APCH AND SAID NO CONFLICT, NO PROB. MADE 1 360 DEG TURN TO REJOIN V123 AND ENTERED HOLD AS DIRECTED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: SHORT TIME INTERVAL FROM OUR POS TO HOLDING FIX. HOLD WAS ISSUED WHILE WE WERE STILL ON CLBOUT. CHART IS POORLY MARKED -- DIFFICULT TO SEE IN DIMLY LIT COCKPIT. METERING PROGRAM INITIATED ONLY 15 MI FROM DEP ARPT, WAS UNEXPECTED WHILE ACFT WAS STILL IN CRITICAL PHASE OF FLT.

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.