B757 flight crew, during arrival, is questioned by controller about arrival being flown.

Attributes
ACN	557409
Time
Date	200208
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : skebr
State Reference	NV
Altitude	msl single value : 13000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla.artcc tracon : l30.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : clarr 1
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 13200 flight time type : 2500
ASRS Report	557409
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During cruise, I, as PNF, contacted ZLA on frequency. 3 attempts were made with no response. Controller seemed to be operating multiple frequencys. I made the 4TH call. Controller answered 4TH call with 'stand by.' at this time I went to las ATIS frequency to obtain the numbers, and operations frequency to obtain gate information. When I got back on #1 radio, ATC, first officer briefed that controller cleared us to 'cross clarr intersection at 13000 ft, 250N KTS, maintain 290 KTS in the descent.' 'contact las approach control and thanks.' (he felt the thanks was for ignoring us and holding onto us a little longer than normal.) we contacted approach, confirming our clearance. Later, approach cleared us to kepec intersection. I acknowledged and then advised them kepec was not on our arrival (the clarr 1). The controller wanted to know why we were in the turn if we were on the clarr 1. We were by this time at skebr intersection -- the point where both arrs share similar but different routings. We were turning to a heading 345 degrees per the clarr 1. Note: skebr RNAV 1 arrival and clarr 1 arrival utilize some of the same intxns and routings and are very similar. Clarr and skebr intxns appear on both arrs. Routing after skebr intersection on the clarr 1 arrival is heading 345 degrees to intercept bld 260 degree radial. On the skebr RNAV 1 arrival, the RNAV course is 349 degrees to kepec waypoint.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 FLC, DURING ARR, IS QUESTIONED BY CTLR ABOUT ARR BEING FLOWN.

Narrative: DURING CRUISE, I, AS PNF, CONTACTED ZLA ON FREQ. 3 ATTEMPTS WERE MADE WITH NO RESPONSE. CTLR SEEMED TO BE OPERATING MULTIPLE FREQS. I MADE THE 4TH CALL. CTLR ANSWERED 4TH CALL WITH 'STAND BY.' AT THIS TIME I WENT TO LAS ATIS FREQ TO OBTAIN THE NUMBERS, AND OPS FREQ TO OBTAIN GATE INFO. WHEN I GOT BACK ON #1 RADIO, ATC, FO BRIEFED THAT CTLR CLRED US TO 'CROSS CLARR INTXN AT 13000 FT, 250N KTS, MAINTAIN 290 KTS IN THE DSCNT.' 'CONTACT LAS APCH CTL AND THANKS.' (HE FELT THE THANKS WAS FOR IGNORING US AND HOLDING ONTO US A LITTLE LONGER THAN NORMAL.) WE CONTACTED APCH, CONFIRMING OUR CLRNC. LATER, APCH CLRED US TO KEPEC INTXN. I ACKNOWLEDGED AND THEN ADVISED THEM KEPEC WAS NOT ON OUR ARR (THE CLARR 1). THE CTLR WANTED TO KNOW WHY WE WERE IN THE TURN IF WE WERE ON THE CLARR 1. WE WERE BY THIS TIME AT SKEBR INTXN -- THE POINT WHERE BOTH ARRS SHARE SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT ROUTINGS. WE WERE TURNING TO A HDG 345 DEGS PER THE CLARR 1. NOTE: SKEBR RNAV 1 ARR AND CLARR 1 ARR UTILIZE SOME OF THE SAME INTXNS AND ROUTINGS AND ARE VERY SIMILAR. CLARR AND SKEBR INTXNS APPEAR ON BOTH ARRS. ROUTING AFTER SKEBR INTXN ON THE CLARR 1 ARR IS HDG 345 DEGS TO INTERCEPT BLD 260 DEG RADIAL. ON THE SKEBR RNAV 1 ARR, THE RNAV COURSE IS 349 DEGS TO KEPEC WAYPOINT.

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.