Flight crew of a MD88 entered the wrong radial in a holding pattern due to not enough time to prepar...

Attributes
ACN	365712
Time
Date	199703
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pvd
State Reference	RI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-88
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other other
Route In Use	enroute airway : pvd
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	other other : other pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 7710 flight time type : 850
ASRS Report	365712
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	other other : other pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 153 flight time total : 9989 flight time type : 4072
ASRS Report	364748
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The flight was from bgr to pvd. After talking to approach they informed us WX was bad enough for CAT III approachs but their equipment was inoperative. As we proceeded direct to pvd VOR the captain was talking to our company to find out what they wanted us to do. At about 7 DME from pvd VOR the controller directed us to hold as published at the pvd VOR. I felt I did not have time to check the low chart for the specifics, so in order to get established in holding I asked the controller to give me the 'inbound course,' so I could plug the course into the FMS. He said 'the inbound course is 234 degrees.' I told the captain I wanted to confirm this on the low chart. He then asked the controller what the 'holding radial' was and the controller stated 234 degrees. I told the captain that's not what he told me. The captain plugged in the 054 degree course inbound in the FMS and executed it as we passed over the VOR into holding all at the same time. I still was not comfortable with the conflicting information we had received so as I found the holding pattern on the united states (low) 25/26 chart. I showed it to the captain that 234 degree r-hand turns was correct. What happened next is a little unclr but I believe now we were in the correct holding pattern. As we debated what the controller wanted versus what was published versus what we had in the FMS. As we started our second turn in holding the controller gave us a heading of 180 degrees. Soon thereafter we proceed to our alternate airport. Looking back I should have had my chart more handy and ready for the holding. Since there was no traffic in the area I should have asked for vectors to get set up for holding instead of rushing into a holding pattern, having only 6 mi to prepare. Next time I will ask for the 'holding radial' in order to avoid confusion between the controller and me. P.south. The FMS asks for the inbound course and/or the holding radial, both can be inputted into the FMS.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A MD88 ENTERED THE WRONG RADIAL IN A HOLDING PATTERN DUE TO NOT ENOUGH TIME TO PREPARE FOR THE HOLD AFTER THE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. THE CTLR REFED THE STANDARD HOLD SHOWN ON THE AERO CHART WHICH THE CREW DID NOT HAVE OUT OF THE FLT BAG.

Narrative: THE FLT WAS FROM BGR TO PVD. AFTER TALKING TO APCH THEY INFORMED US WX WAS BAD ENOUGH FOR CAT III APCHS BUT THEIR EQUIP WAS INOP. AS WE PROCEEDED DIRECT TO PVD VOR THE CAPT WAS TALKING TO OUR COMPANY TO FIND OUT WHAT THEY WANTED US TO DO. AT ABOUT 7 DME FROM PVD VOR THE CTLR DIRECTED US TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT THE PVD VOR. I FELT I DID NOT HAVE TIME TO CHK THE LOW CHART FOR THE SPECIFICS, SO IN ORDER TO GET ESTABLISHED IN HOLDING I ASKED THE CTLR TO GIVE ME THE 'INBOUND COURSE,' SO I COULD PLUG THE COURSE INTO THE FMS. HE SAID 'THE INBOUND COURSE IS 234 DEGS.' I TOLD THE CAPT I WANTED TO CONFIRM THIS ON THE LOW CHART. HE THEN ASKED THE CTLR WHAT THE 'HOLDING RADIAL' WAS AND THE CTLR STATED 234 DEGS. I TOLD THE CAPT THAT'S NOT WHAT HE TOLD ME. THE CAPT PLUGGED IN THE 054 DEG COURSE INBOUND IN THE FMS AND EXECUTED IT AS WE PASSED OVER THE VOR INTO HOLDING ALL AT THE SAME TIME. I STILL WAS NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE CONFLICTING INFO WE HAD RECEIVED SO AS I FOUND THE HOLDING PATTERN ON THE UNITED STATES (LOW) 25/26 CHART. I SHOWED IT TO THE CAPT THAT 234 DEG R-HAND TURNS WAS CORRECT. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT IS A LITTLE UNCLR BUT I BELIEVE NOW WE WERE IN THE CORRECT HOLDING PATTERN. AS WE DEBATED WHAT THE CTLR WANTED VERSUS WHAT WAS PUBLISHED VERSUS WHAT WE HAD IN THE FMS. AS WE STARTED OUR SECOND TURN IN HOLDING THE CTLR GAVE US A HDG OF 180 DEGS. SOON THEREAFTER WE PROCEED TO OUR ALTERNATE ARPT. LOOKING BACK I SHOULD HAVE HAD MY CHART MORE HANDY AND READY FOR THE HOLDING. SINCE THERE WAS NO TFC IN THE AREA I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR VECTORS TO GET SET UP FOR HOLDING INSTEAD OF RUSHING INTO A HOLDING PATTERN, HAVING ONLY 6 MI TO PREPARE. NEXT TIME I WILL ASK FOR THE 'HOLDING RADIAL' IN ORDER TO AVOID CONFUSION BTWN THE CTLR AND ME. P.S. THE FMS ASKS FOR THE INBOUND COURSE AND/OR THE HOLDING RADIAL, BOTH CAN BE INPUTTED INTO THE FMS.

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.

Flight crew of a MD88 entered the wrong radial in a holding pattern due to not enough time to prepare for the hold after the holding instructions. The controller referenced the standard hold shown on the aeronautical chart which the crew did not have out of the flight bag.