Narrative:

Approaching fim VOR (112.5) on fernando 5 arrival at 10000 ft MSL, I left approach frequency to call bur company operations. When I returned we had passed the VOR and received a clearance to 7000 ft MSL and TA at 10 O'clock. I noticed heading of 100 degrees and assumed we had been given that heading to intercept the 076 degree radial to bur localizer, as has often been given in the past. At about that same instant, approach control asked if we were on the transition and to turn immediately right because of traffic conflict. I took the aircraft and turned right and asked first officer about our clearance. She had mistakenly misread the arrival chart and had turned to intercept the 097 degree radial from fim VOR as shown on arrival chart, but not to bur. We did not see traffic or receive a TCASII RA alert. First officer remembers 'traffic' alert only. Upon arrival at bur, I called approach control area manager. He did not have all information, so I called again upon arrival in sjc. He said we had a traffic conflict with separation of 200 ft and 1.7 mi. He said we were at 8500 ft MSL descending, other aircraft was at 8700 ft MSL climbing. We never did acquire visual contact. Other aircraft said nothing. I believe my attention was diverted when I left approach frequency to call company operations. I have flown this arrival many times and received a heading of 100 degrees from fim. Therefore, my initial thought when I saw 100 degree heading was that this was not unreasonable. First officer realized mistake after rereading arrival chart. Separation was compromised according to approach control, therefore this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FO MISREADS CHART PUB AND CREATES A HDG TRACK POS DEV. POTENTIAL CONFLICT OCCURS.

Narrative: APCHING FIM VOR (112.5) ON FERNANDO 5 ARR AT 10000 FT MSL, I LEFT APCH FREQ TO CALL BUR COMPANY OPS. WHEN I RETURNED WE HAD PASSED THE VOR AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 7000 FT MSL AND TA AT 10 O'CLOCK. I NOTICED HDG OF 100 DEGS AND ASSUMED WE HAD BEEN GIVEN THAT HDG TO INTERCEPT THE 076 DEG RADIAL TO BUR LOC, AS HAS OFTEN BEEN GIVEN IN THE PAST. AT ABOUT THAT SAME INSTANT, APCH CTL ASKED IF WE WERE ON THE TRANSITION AND TO TURN IMMEDIATELY R BECAUSE OF TFC CONFLICT. I TOOK THE ACFT AND TURNED R AND ASKED FO ABOUT OUR CLRNC. SHE HAD MISTAKENLY MISREAD THE ARR CHART AND HAD TURNED TO INTERCEPT THE 097 DEG RADIAL FROM FIM VOR AS SHOWN ON ARR CHART, BUT NOT TO BUR. WE DID NOT SEE TFC OR RECEIVE A TCASII RA ALERT. FO REMEMBERS 'TFC' ALERT ONLY. UPON ARR AT BUR, I CALLED APCH CTL AREA MGR. HE DID NOT HAVE ALL INFO, SO I CALLED AGAIN UPON ARR IN SJC. HE SAID WE HAD A TFC CONFLICT WITH SEPARATION OF 200 FT AND 1.7 MI. HE SAID WE WERE AT 8500 FT MSL DSNDING, OTHER ACFT WAS AT 8700 FT MSL CLBING. WE NEVER DID ACQUIRE VISUAL CONTACT. OTHER ACFT SAID NOTHING. I BELIEVE MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED WHEN I LEFT APCH FREQ TO CALL COMPANY OPS. I HAVE FLOWN THIS ARR MANY TIMES AND RECEIVED A HDG OF 100 DEGS FROM FIM. THEREFORE, MY INITIAL THOUGHT WHEN I SAW 100 DEG HDG WAS THAT THIS WAS NOT UNREASONABLE. FO REALIZED MISTAKE AFTER REREADING ARR CHART. SEPARATION WAS COMPROMISED ACCORDING TO APCH CTL, THEREFORE THIS RPT.

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.