B757-200 flight crew assigned holding close by is unable to find fix in FMC database.

Attributes
ACN	690393
Time
Date	200603
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : etg.vortac
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl single value : 23000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Marginal
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : holding
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	690393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Company Chart Or Publication Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

We were cleared direct etg. About 30 mi west of etg; ZNY cleared us to hold at miget. We attempted to find it in the FMC database but it was not available. After pulling a chart we found it on J146 19 DME west of etg. We attempted to input J146 into the route in the FMC but miget still did not appear in the route. By this time we had passed miget and needed a clearance to another fix. This problem of not having all the fixes on a jet route is not the first time this has happened. Also; the short notice to hold at a fix (11 mi away at 525 KTS ground speed) was repeated again later in the approach and was very poor planning on center's part.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757-200 FLT CREW ASSIGNED HOLDING CLOSE BY IS UNABLE TO FIND FIX IN FMC DATABASE.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED DIRECT ETG. ABOUT 30 MI W OF ETG; ZNY CLRED US TO HOLD AT MIGET. WE ATTEMPTED TO FIND IT IN THE FMC DATABASE BUT IT WAS NOT AVAILABLE. AFTER PULLING A CHART WE FOUND IT ON J146 19 DME W OF ETG. WE ATTEMPTED TO INPUT J146 INTO THE RTE IN THE FMC BUT MIGET STILL DID NOT APPEAR IN THE RTE. BY THIS TIME WE HAD PASSED MIGET AND NEEDED A CLRNC TO ANOTHER FIX. THIS PROB OF NOT HAVING ALL THE FIXES ON A JET RTE IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. ALSO; THE SHORT NOTICE TO HOLD AT A FIX (11 MI AWAY AT 525 KTS GND SPD) WAS REPEATED AGAIN LATER IN THE APCH AND WAS VERY POOR PLANNING ON CTR'S PART.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.