An A300-600 receives several clrncs that don't make sense during descent on arrival into jfk, ny.

Attributes
ACN	376687
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sie
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 5000
ASRS Report	376687
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	377819
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

There was no conflict. Just north of hoggs intersection, given descent to 14000 ft, slow 250 KTS (normal clearance is 11000 ft, 250 KTS at camrn intersection). We were then asked heading, close to 050 degrees, read back. Next clearance, 'turn right 075 degrees.' ZNY came back and said, 'no, turn left to 270 degrees.' as we were going through 305 degrees toward 270 degree heading, center said, 'what is your heading?' advised 305 degrees. Center said, 'did not issue a turn, continue left 360 degrees to camrn intersection.' we read back each heading, no correction from ATC offered. There has been trouble in the new york area with someone getting on a radio and issuing false clrncs. I did not question clearance because of leveloff at 14000 ft and 250 KT speed reduction. That kind of turn is sometimes issued when controllers get backed up with traffic into camrn intersection. Either controller was very overloaded, or someone else was on a radio issuing clrncs, or an exact overlap of our xmissions with another transmission. The latter seems unlikely because we had 3 exchanges about headings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A300-600 RECEIVES SEVERAL CLRNCS THAT DON'T MAKE SENSE DURING DSCNT ON ARR INTO JFK, NY.

Narrative: THERE WAS NO CONFLICT. JUST N OF HOGGS INTXN, GIVEN DSCNT TO 14000 FT, SLOW 250 KTS (NORMAL CLRNC IS 11000 FT, 250 KTS AT CAMRN INTXN). WE WERE THEN ASKED HDG, CLOSE TO 050 DEGS, READ BACK. NEXT CLRNC, 'TURN R 075 DEGS.' ZNY CAME BACK AND SAID, 'NO, TURN L TO 270 DEGS.' AS WE WERE GOING THROUGH 305 DEGS TOWARD 270 DEG HDG, CTR SAID, 'WHAT IS YOUR HDG?' ADVISED 305 DEGS. CTR SAID, 'DID NOT ISSUE A TURN, CONTINUE L 360 DEGS TO CAMRN INTXN.' WE READ BACK EACH HDG, NO CORRECTION FROM ATC OFFERED. THERE HAS BEEN TROUBLE IN THE NEW YORK AREA WITH SOMEONE GETTING ON A RADIO AND ISSUING FALSE CLRNCS. I DID NOT QUESTION CLRNC BECAUSE OF LEVELOFF AT 14000 FT AND 250 KT SPD REDUCTION. THAT KIND OF TURN IS SOMETIMES ISSUED WHEN CTLRS GET BACKED UP WITH TFC INTO CAMRN INTXN. EITHER CTLR WAS VERY OVERLOADED, OR SOMEONE ELSE WAS ON A RADIO ISSUING CLRNCS, OR AN EXACT OVERLAP OF OUR XMISSIONS WITH ANOTHER XMISSION. THE LATTER SEEMS UNLIKELY BECAUSE WE HAD 3 EXCHANGES ABOUT HDGS.

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.