Narrative:

In level flight at FL180 we were given a last min clearance to hold at gramm on the civet five arrival due to an emergency at lax for a returning aircraft. We were at 310 KTS assigned; clearance was given about 3-5 mi from the fix (gramm). We were told to hold as published at which point we entered a turn to the left as we passed gramm. Controller then told us that gramm holding is to the right; and to hold right on the next pass. We checked our charts to find that we were looking at the baset two arrival on the same page; but front side; the same fix has opposite holds depending on the arrival. We continued the left turn around to gramm and proceeded to hold right as published. There was confusion from several other aircraft almost simultaneously until someone pointed that out. The controller then told aircraft to hold either left or right at gramm; and finally everyone held as published for the civet five arrival; right turns at the fix. After we landed the captain called the supervisor of the TRACON and was told not to worry; all was well; no problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR CREW DESCRIBES HOLDING L AT GRAMM ON THE LAX CIVET 5 WHEN R TURNS ARE REQUIRED. CONFUSION COMES FROM L HOLDING AT GRAMM ON THE BASET 2 ARR.

Narrative: IN LEVEL FLT AT FL180 WE WERE GIVEN A LAST MIN CLRNC TO HOLD AT GRAMM ON THE CIVET FIVE ARR DUE TO AN EMER AT LAX FOR A RETURNING ACFT. WE WERE AT 310 KTS ASSIGNED; CLRNC WAS GIVEN ABOUT 3-5 MI FROM THE FIX (GRAMM). WE WERE TOLD TO HOLD AS PUBLISHED AT WHICH POINT WE ENTERED A TURN TO THE L AS WE PASSED GRAMM. CTLR THEN TOLD US THAT GRAMM HOLDING IS TO THE R; AND TO HOLD R ON THE NEXT PASS. WE CHKED OUR CHARTS TO FIND THAT WE WERE LOOKING AT THE BASET TWO ARR ON THE SAME PAGE; BUT FRONT SIDE; THE SAME FIX HAS OPPOSITE HOLDS DEPENDING ON THE ARR. WE CONTINUED THE L TURN AROUND TO GRAMM AND PROCEEDED TO HOLD R AS PUBLISHED. THERE WAS CONFUSION FROM SEVERAL OTHER ACFT ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY UNTIL SOMEONE POINTED THAT OUT. THE CTLR THEN TOLD ACFT TO HOLD EITHER L OR R AT GRAMM; AND FINALLY EVERYONE HELD AS PUBLISHED FOR THE CIVET FIVE ARR; R TURNS AT THE FIX. AFTER WE LANDED THE CAPT CALLED THE SUPVR OF THE TRACON AND WAS TOLD NOT TO WORRY; ALL WAS WELL; NO PROB.

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.