Medium Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Communication Breakdown; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Time Pressure; Workload
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Procedure
Our clearance from JFK did not include an arrival into JFK. We were cleared via fixes direct to the field and were on our cleared/filed flight plan. While in the descent to JFK; we were the first aircraft to be given holding instructions due to volume at JFK. The holding instructions were given extremely close to the holding fix; less than 10 NM. Also; to add to the confusion; the Approach Controller referenced and expected us to enter a holding pattern that was on an arrival that we were not assigned. This added a significant amount of confusion to the event. We asked for; and received vectors for the immediate time being. Eventually a hold was given that was based off of a radial that we were able to program and enter. Shortly thereafter; we were given vectors to leave the holding pattern and proceed to the field. During the vectors to the field; the Local Approach Controller assigned us the GPS to Runway 4L at JFK. We were unable to accept this approach as neither of us had GPS approach plates for 4L at JFK.The threats in this event were twofold. The first was ATC assigning us a hold that was not on our flight plan. The second threat was the timing of the assignment of the hold by ATC. The holding instructions were given too close to the holding fix to have a reasonable expectation that we would be able to comply.
Pilot reports of holding instructions that were non-standard and too close to where the aircraft was at the time.