C152 pilot concerned with local, non-defined, visual VFR reporting point ibnd to hwd airport.

Attributes
ACN	505250
Time
Date	200103
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : hwd.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 1200
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : hwd.tower
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : instructor oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 540 flight time type : 190
ASRS Report	505250
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	instruction : trainee
Qualification	pilot : student
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

On a training flight inbound to hayward aprt, tower instructed us to report 'at the 3 crosses,' and to 'stay north of interstate 880.' I have flown into hayward numerous times, always from near lake chabot - as I was today. I know where 880 is and I believed that the '3 crosses' he was referring to was a cross of 3 roads near 880, since he did refer to 880 in his instructions. In reality, the '3 crosses' are 3 large church crosses, which are by interstate 580, not 880. So I was about 2 miles from where tower actually wanted me to be. A day earlier, I was at hayward and heard the controllers refer to the '3 crosses' to another plane. I heard reference to many interchanges of freeways - thus leading me to believe I was in the correct location today. Since I wasn't actually 100 percent sure though, I should have stated I was unfamiliar with the reporting point. There was not a lot of traffic at the aprt so the miscommunication did not create any hazards, or potential problems, mainly just a misunderstanding. Tower could have told me they were by 580.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C152 PLT CONCERNED WITH LCL, NON-DEFINED, VISUAL VFR RPTING POINT IBND TO HWD ARPT.

Narrative: ON A TRAINING FLIGHT INBOUND TO HAYWARD APRT, TOWER INSTRUCTED US TO REPORT 'AT THE 3 CROSSES,' AND TO 'STAY NORTH OF INTERSTATE 880.' I HAVE FLOWN INTO HAYWARD NUMEROUS TIMES, ALWAYS FROM NEAR LAKE CHABOT - AS I WAS TODAY. I KNOW WHERE 880 IS AND I BELIEVED THAT THE '3 CROSSES' HE WAS REFERRING TO WAS A CROSS OF 3 ROADS NEAR 880, SINCE HE DID REFER TO 880 IN HIS INSTRUCTIONS. IN REALITY, THE '3 CROSSES' ARE 3 LARGE CHURCH CROSSES, WHICH ARE BY INTERSTATE 580, NOT 880. SO I WAS ABOUT 2 MILES FROM WHERE TOWER ACTUALLY WANTED ME TO BE. A DAY EARLIER, I WAS AT HAYWARD AND HEARD THE CONTROLLERS REFER TO THE '3 CROSSES' TO ANOTHER PLANE. I HEARD REFERENCE TO MANY INTERCHANGES OF FREEWAYS - THUS LEADING ME TO BELIEVE I WAS IN THE CORRECT LOCATION TODAY. SINCE I WASN'T ACTUALLY 100 PERCENT SURE THOUGH, I SHOULD HAVE STATED I WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE REPORTING POINT. THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF TRAFFIC AT THE APRT SO THE MISCOMMUNICATION DID NOT CREATE ANY HAZARDS, OR POTENTIAL PROBLEMS, MAINLY JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING. TOWER COULD HAVE TOLD ME THEY WERE BY 580.

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.