Narrative:

We were air carrier X, approximately 50 mi west of marvel VOR, and cleared direct to marvel when ZME cleared us for holding at barff as published, 20 NM legs, FL180 and efc of XA50Z. As we neared the inbound course, ATC issued, 'air carrier X turn left 090 degrees, intercept the arrival.' we intercepted the arrival and continued inbound. We felt ATC now wanted us to fly the arrival into mem and we did so. ATC even gave us 2 dscnts from FL180 to 16000 ft to 14000 ft. All this while we continued on the arrival passing barff intersection, passing marvel and turning inbound to mem. We didn't feel there was a problem or that we mid misinterped a clearance because aircraft ahead of us had been cleared the arrival and this before their efc, so we continued. About 8 mi northeast of marvel, ATC called us hinting that we had missed barff intersection and reclred us back direct to marvel and cleared for a new hold at marvel VOR. I guess our questioning tone jarred ATC to rethink what had transpired. ATC later apologized for the miscom, we did the same. WX was low, we were down to one runway operation, recovering over 100 aircraft with several in a holding stack. High tempo operations contributed to the controller saying something she probably didn't intend to say. Also, we should make sure with a readback in plain english what the clearance means. Supplemental information from acn 537514: not having equipment on board to go direct to barff, we asked for a vector to intercept the inbound course to barff south of the fix. This was given by ATC and we complied.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A B727 CREW, ARRIVING MEM, MISINTERPED A CLRNC AND CONTINUED PAST THEIR ASSIGNED HOLDING FIX.

Narrative: WE WERE ACR X, APPROX 50 MI W OF MARVEL VOR, AND CLRED DIRECT TO MARVEL WHEN ZME CLRED US FOR HOLDING AT BARFF AS PUBLISHED, 20 NM LEGS, FL180 AND EFC OF XA50Z. AS WE NEARED THE INBOUND COURSE, ATC ISSUED, 'ACR X TURN L 090 DEGS, INTERCEPT THE ARR.' WE INTERCEPTED THE ARR AND CONTINUED INBOUND. WE FELT ATC NOW WANTED US TO FLY THE ARR INTO MEM AND WE DID SO. ATC EVEN GAVE US 2 DSCNTS FROM FL180 TO 16000 FT TO 14000 FT. ALL THIS WHILE WE CONTINUED ON THE ARR PASSING BARFF INTXN, PASSING MARVEL AND TURNING INBOUND TO MEM. WE DIDN'T FEEL THERE WAS A PROB OR THAT WE MID MISINTERPED A CLRNC BECAUSE ACFT AHEAD OF US HAD BEEN CLRED THE ARR AND THIS BEFORE THEIR EFC, SO WE CONTINUED. ABOUT 8 MI NE OF MARVEL, ATC CALLED US HINTING THAT WE HAD MISSED BARFF INTXN AND RECLRED US BACK DIRECT TO MARVEL AND CLRED FOR A NEW HOLD AT MARVEL VOR. I GUESS OUR QUESTIONING TONE JARRED ATC TO RETHINK WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED. ATC LATER APOLOGIZED FOR THE MISCOM, WE DID THE SAME. WX WAS LOW, WE WERE DOWN TO ONE RWY OP, RECOVERING OVER 100 ACFT WITH SEVERAL IN A HOLDING STACK. HIGH TEMPO OPS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CTLR SAYING SOMETHING SHE PROBABLY DIDN'T INTEND TO SAY. ALSO, WE SHOULD MAKE SURE WITH A READBACK IN PLAIN ENGLISH WHAT THE CLRNC MEANS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 537514: NOT HAVING EQUIP ON BOARD TO GO DIRECT TO BARFF, WE ASKED FOR A VECTOR TO INTERCEPT THE INBOUND COURSE TO BARFF S OF THE FIX. THIS WAS GIVEN BY ATC AND WE COMPLIED.

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.