Narrative:

We were cleared direct holey intersection, flight plan route ewr. There was a lot of congestion on the radio due to holding and rertes. It was obvious that the controller was maxed out. We were then cleared to cross holey intersection at 11000 ft and told to stand by for holding instructions. I slowed to holding speed and set the FMC up for a hold at holey intersection 058 degree l-hand turns. As we neared holey intersection, we tried to call ATC to see if we were to hold at holey intersection, but could not get through to ATC. After passing holey and nearing rbv we finally got a call in. The controller asked if we had received our holding instructions for rbv. We told him that he had not issued them to us. We were fast approaching rbv and he cleared us to 10000 ft hold rbv as published. I pulled up rbv on the FMC and entered 058 degree right on the holding page. I then realized that the hold at rbv was not on the airway. The inbound course was 068 degrees. As I proceeded to change the course the first officer said no, the inbound is 058 degrees not 068 degrees. I then showed him from the chart that 058 degrees was the inbound for the hold at holey intersection. I then stated that the inbound course for the hold at rbv was to the left of the airway at rbv, course 068 degrees. He then agreed. We were just about on top of rbv when I typed in 068 degrees left and executed the hold. The aircraft turned left to enter the hold. The controller then asked us if we were holding at rbv because we were in a left turn instead of a right turn. I then realized in my haste and because of some confusion between the first officer and I about the inbound course I had entered a left turn instead of a right turn.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DUE TO CONGESTED COMS, A B757 MISSED HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS BY ZNY ARTCC AT HOLEY INTXN AND WAS RECLRED TO HOLD AT RBV. BECAUSE THE HOLD CLRNC WAS ISSUED VERY NEAR RBV, THE ACFT BEGAN HOLDING ON NON HOLDING SIDE OF THE FIX.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT HOLEY INTXN, FLT PLAN RTE EWR. THERE WAS A LOT OF CONGESTION ON THE RADIO DUE TO HOLDING AND RERTES. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE CTLR WAS MAXED OUT. WE WERE THEN CLRED TO CROSS HOLEY INTXN AT 11000 FT AND TOLD TO STAND BY FOR HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. I SLOWED TO HOLDING SPD AND SET THE FMC UP FOR A HOLD AT HOLEY INTXN 058 DEG L-HAND TURNS. AS WE NEARED HOLEY INTXN, WE TRIED TO CALL ATC TO SEE IF WE WERE TO HOLD AT HOLEY INTXN, BUT COULD NOT GET THROUGH TO ATC. AFTER PASSING HOLEY AND NEARING RBV WE FINALLY GOT A CALL IN. THE CTLR ASKED IF WE HAD RECEIVED OUR HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS FOR RBV. WE TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD NOT ISSUED THEM TO US. WE WERE FAST APCHING RBV AND HE CLRED US TO 10000 FT HOLD RBV AS PUBLISHED. I PULLED UP RBV ON THE FMC AND ENTERED 058 DEG R ON THE HOLDING PAGE. I THEN REALIZED THAT THE HOLD AT RBV WAS NOT ON THE AIRWAY. THE INBOUND COURSE WAS 068 DEGS. AS I PROCEEDED TO CHANGE THE COURSE THE FO SAID NO, THE INBOUND IS 058 DEGS NOT 068 DEGS. I THEN SHOWED HIM FROM THE CHART THAT 058 DEGS WAS THE INBOUND FOR THE HOLD AT HOLEY INTXN. I THEN STATED THAT THE INBOUND COURSE FOR THE HOLD AT RBV WAS TO THE L OF THE AIRWAY AT RBV, COURSE 068 DEGS. HE THEN AGREED. WE WERE JUST ABOUT ON TOP OF RBV WHEN I TYPED IN 068 DEGS L AND EXECUTED THE HOLD. THE ACFT TURNED L TO ENTER THE HOLD. THE CTLR THEN ASKED US IF WE WERE HOLDING AT RBV BECAUSE WE WERE IN A L TURN INSTEAD OF A R TURN. I THEN REALIZED IN MY HASTE AND BECAUSE OF SOME CONFUSION BTWN THE FO AND I ABOUT THE INBOUND COURSE I HAD ENTERED A L TURN INSTEAD OF A R TURN.

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.