Narrative:

While en route from dca-mdw we were given holding clearance at gsh VOR at FL350. I then proceeded to check WX for possible alternates as well as communication with flight control in chicago. Captain handling ATC communications and flying. Captain very busy with ATC communication and their requests. Descent, expedite descent, etc. Meanwhile I was very busy discussing WX at ind, rfd, ord, and cmh with flight control and the captain. Ind had RVR inoperative and discuss higher mins between captain and flight control. Also flight control advised although WX good at rfd, runway was closed. Relay to captain, ind alternate agreed upon along with bingo fuel. Meanwhile captain told to hold at plant intersection (ord 125 degree right 36 DME). Captain on ord and I was on mdw localizer on field for DME. Both #1 and #2 communication's very busy. Appropriate checklists and callouts run while both pilots busy. Finally a break in action when ATC called and asked to identify and state location. Captain informed me to tell them we are entering hold. I did and joined up on ord 125 degree right and it showed us at 25 DME. ATC gave immediate turn and then a radar vector to reenter holding pattern at plant intersection. Did not hear a conflict with other traffic. Captain stated that his DME had malfunctioned (stuck then broke loose). My radio had been tuned to another frequency before joining up. Work load was very heavy for both pilots. Supplemental information from acn 81872. When I received 2ND holding clearance, at 40 DME I mentally said 4 mi to go. Airspeed 200 KTS. In trying to judge fuel and listen to approach, I did not notice my DME ord broke lock. When it reengaged it said 30 DME. I immediately knew I missed the fix and started a right turn back to holding airspace. I heard no other aircraft being directed to change heading or anything along those lines. ATC never mentioned any close calls. (WX, IMC, snow). While outbnd I was directed to another chicago approach frequency. Fuel was now below going to ind. Flight control advised rockford opened. Alternate changed to rockford. During flight and especially en route to plant, at no time was I advised that I was no longer under radar coverage. Although there was a lot to traffic, I heard no evasive calls of directives to other aircraft to change headings. Corrective actions: approach control needs to watch (monitor) aircraft entering holding, once cleared out of holding, ATC should keep aircraft going. Mind set is a go attitude for an approach. Second holding clearance broke that relieved feeling, that fuel would not be a problem. A second holding clearance should not be given if at all possible. If ATC does not see aircraft turning within 2 mi after fix, advise aircraft. Even though pilot is familiar with area, all pilots should make maximum of radio navigation aids.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR MLG CONCERNED ABOUT FUEL STATUS OVERSHOT HOLDING PATTERN. FUEL REMAINING REQUIRED.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE FROM DCA-MDW WE WERE GIVEN HOLDING CLRNC AT GSH VOR AT FL350. I THEN PROCEEDED TO CHK WX FOR POSSIBLE ALTERNATES AS WELL AS COM WITH FLT CTL IN CHICAGO. CAPT HANDLING ATC COMS AND FLYING. CAPT VERY BUSY WITH ATC COM AND THEIR REQUESTS. DSCNT, EXPEDITE DSCNT, ETC. MEANWHILE I WAS VERY BUSY DISCUSSING WX AT IND, RFD, ORD, AND CMH WITH FLT CTL AND THE CAPT. IND HAD RVR INOP AND DISCUSS HIGHER MINS BTWN CAPT AND FLT CTL. ALSO FLT CTL ADVISED ALTHOUGH WX GOOD AT RFD, RWY WAS CLOSED. RELAY TO CAPT, IND ALTERNATE AGREED UPON ALONG WITH BINGO FUEL. MEANWHILE CAPT TOLD TO HOLD AT PLANT INTXN (ORD 125 DEG R 36 DME). CAPT ON ORD AND I WAS ON MDW LOC ON FIELD FOR DME. BOTH #1 AND #2 COM'S VERY BUSY. APPROPRIATE CHKLISTS AND CALLOUTS RUN WHILE BOTH PLTS BUSY. FINALLY A BREAK IN ACTION WHEN ATC CALLED AND ASKED TO IDENT AND STATE LOCATION. CAPT INFORMED ME TO TELL THEM WE ARE ENTERING HOLD. I DID AND JOINED UP ON ORD 125 DEG R AND IT SHOWED US AT 25 DME. ATC GAVE IMMEDIATE TURN AND THEN A RADAR VECTOR TO REENTER HOLDING PATTERN AT PLANT INTXN. DID NOT HEAR A CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. CAPT STATED THAT HIS DME HAD MALFUNCTIONED (STUCK THEN BROKE LOOSE). MY RADIO HAD BEEN TUNED TO ANOTHER FREQ BEFORE JOINING UP. WORK LOAD WAS VERY HEAVY FOR BOTH PLTS. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 81872. WHEN I RECEIVED 2ND HOLDING CLRNC, AT 40 DME I MENTALLY SAID 4 MI TO GO. AIRSPD 200 KTS. IN TRYING TO JUDGE FUEL AND LISTEN TO APCH, I DID NOT NOTICE MY DME ORD BROKE LOCK. WHEN IT REENGAGED IT SAID 30 DME. I IMMEDIATELY KNEW I MISSED THE FIX AND STARTED A R TURN BACK TO HOLDING AIRSPACE. I HEARD NO OTHER ACFT BEING DIRECTED TO CHANGE HDG OR ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES. ATC NEVER MENTIONED ANY CLOSE CALLS. (WX, IMC, SNOW). WHILE OUTBND I WAS DIRECTED TO ANOTHER CHICAGO APCH FREQ. FUEL WAS NOW BELOW GOING TO IND. FLT CTL ADVISED ROCKFORD OPENED. ALTERNATE CHANGED TO ROCKFORD. DURING FLT AND ESPECIALLY ENRTE TO PLANT, AT NO TIME WAS I ADVISED THAT I WAS NO LONGER UNDER RADAR COVERAGE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS A LOT TO TFC, I HEARD NO EVASIVE CALLS OF DIRECTIVES TO OTHER ACFT TO CHANGE HDGS. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: APCH CTL NEEDS TO WATCH (MONITOR) ACFT ENTERING HOLDING, ONCE CLRED OUT OF HOLDING, ATC SHOULD KEEP ACFT GOING. MIND SET IS A GO ATTITUDE FOR AN APCH. SECOND HOLDING CLRNC BROKE THAT RELIEVED FEELING, THAT FUEL WOULD NOT BE A PROB. A SECOND HOLDING CLRNC SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN IF AT ALL POSSIBLE. IF ATC DOES NOT SEE ACFT TURNING WITHIN 2 MI AFTER FIX, ADVISE ACFT. EVEN THOUGH PILOT IS FAMILIAR WITH AREA, ALL PLTS SHOULD MAKE MAX OF RADIO NAV AIDS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.