Date: 201411
Local time of day: 0601-1200
Location: ZDV.ARTCC, CO
Flight conditions: IMC
Light: Daylight
Aircraft: Regional Jet 700 ER/LR (CRJ700)
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class A ZDV
ATC / advisory: Center ZDV
Aircraft component: FMS/FMC
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: First Officer; Pilot Not Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Human factors: Time Pressure; Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Workload
Second reporter function: Pilot Flying; Captain
Anomaly: Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Chart Or Publication; Human Factors
Primary problem: Ambiguous

Narrative: During the descent via on the FRNCH 3 Arrival into Denver International Airport; ATC issued us holding instructions; 'Cleared to SKARF intersection; Hold Left as published; maintain FL220 Expect EFC.' I read back the instructions as I heard them. ATC accepted my read back. The Captain and I reviewed the instructions and at the same time I looked for the hold at SKARF. I noted that there was not a published hold on the SKARF intersection. The Captain was inputting the hold in the FMS; and asked if it was direct to SCARF or on Arrival Course? I stated that I believe we were cleared directly to the fix. We had a check airman in the jumpseat and he stated that no it was not a clearance direct to the fix but just a clearance limit. I called and checked with ATC to clarify the instructions of direct or to continue on the route; at which time he stated 'Your choice direct or the arrival route.' The Captain choose direct and I informed ATC of our intentions. The Captain completed the hold in the FMS with a left turn at SKARF and started the decent. I noted to the Captain that there was not a hold indicated on the French Three Arrival at SKARF. I now started to question the holding instructions since there was no hold published on the arrival. With the hold coming up fast and on previous flight coming into Denver; I had an experience on a Northeast arrival gate where we received a clearance to hold as published on a fix on the arrival that was not published and then ATC later stated the hold fix was publish on another arrival. I quickly looked for another arrival with the SKARF intersection. At that time; Captain asked me to please advise ATC that we were entering the hold. I did. We were working on other matters with the hold when ATC advised another flight into Denver to expect holding at SKARF and instructed them 'Clear to SKARF intersection; Hold West as published; maintain...' I discussed with Captain that I believe I copied our clearance incorrectly and should I inquire to ATC about the LEFT Hand hold that we were in. At about that time ATC cleared us direct to a fix on the FRNCH Arrival. After landing and parked at the gate; I reviewed the chart and noticed that I had mistaken the TOMSN intersection as the SKARF intersection. The TOMSN intersection does not have a published hold and I saw the SKARF ID just below the TOMSN Fix star. Incorrectly identifying the fix on the published chart. Allowing task saturation to dictate what was important which was the correct hold. I should have discussed that I was questioning ATC's instructions with the Captain before looking for another chart with the published hold. That way he could have reviewed the info double checked the chart and possibly caught my error. Additionally the hold was happening fast; so I needed to slow down and asses the information to ensure we had the correct clearance.


Second narrative: While descending on the FRNCH Three Arrival into DEN we were given holding instructions to hold at SKARF Intersection. The hold we were given was to hold at SKARF left turns at 22;000 feet and an EFC of approx. 20 min. This was entered into the FMS and verified by both pilots. We had a question as to if we were cleared direct to SKARF to hold or to remain on the arrival and then start the hold reaching SKARF. We asked the controller which we should do and he said either one was ok. We then proceeded to go direct to SKARF and entered the hold. We reported entering the hold to ATC. After completing most of the first turn the first officer thought the controller may have said hold as published instead of left turns. There is no published hold for SKARF on the FRNCH Three. The F/O read back left turns to ATC and there was no correction by ATC. As we were discussing the event we were given a heading to exit the hold and completed the approach without any comment from ATC as to if it was an incorrect hold. I am submitting this just in case there was an error that was done on our part but no comment from ATC was given to indicate that there was a problem. Insuring prompt clarification of holding instructions from ATC if there is a doubt from either crew member.


Synopsis: CRJ-700 flight crew reports entering an incorrect holding pattern at SKARF due to misunderstanding the clearance and the way the arrival chart is laid out.