Narrative:

Because of the controller's accent it was difficult to understand his instructions to begin with. We were approaching anu from the wnw and were cleared to the NDB. So we proceeded as cleared. We questioned the controller on 3 separate occasions what his intentions were after we reached the NDB and also for the WX conditions since they were marginal for us to even begin any approach. We finally received some WX, found it to be adequate for our intentions and continued. As we were in very close proximity to the NDB we once again asked for the controller's intentions and received once again a 'roger', meaning absolutely nothing to us. Once we reached the NDB we asked the controller if he wanted us to proceed outbnd on the 070 degree bearing, because we were unsure of the approach in use at the time. We received a 'roger' and in the hurried state we proceeded on the NDB 25 since this corresponded to the 070 bearing without realizing there were 2 NDB's on the field. We flew the procedure for NDB 25 off zdx NDB but never descended from our 2500' assigned altitude because we were never cleared for the approach. We informed the controller 2 separate times of our position with no disapproval. As we turned inbound to zdx the controller, after we once again gave our position off zdx, informed us the approach in use was the NDB-a circle runway 7. We then proceeded back to the appropriate NDB and flew the approach and landed without any further problem. I feel this all could have been avoided if the controller had made his intentions known from the beginning. We also feel the manner in which he spoke could have been more clear and concise and a little slower. We all were unfamiliar with the airport with myself being the only one having been there once before.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT CREW OF LGT COMMENCED APCH ON WRONG NDB APCH. COM DIFFICULTIES.

Narrative: BECAUSE OF THE CTLR'S ACCENT IT WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND HIS INSTRUCTIONS TO BEGIN WITH. WE WERE APCHING ANU FROM THE WNW AND WERE CLRED TO THE NDB. SO WE PROCEEDED AS CLRED. WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS WHAT HIS INTENTIONS WERE AFTER WE REACHED THE NDB AND ALSO FOR THE WX CONDITIONS SINCE THEY WERE MARGINAL FOR US TO EVEN BEGIN ANY APCH. WE FINALLY RECEIVED SOME WX, FOUND IT TO BE ADEQUATE FOR OUR INTENTIONS AND CONTINUED. AS WE WERE IN VERY CLOSE PROX TO THE NDB WE ONCE AGAIN ASKED FOR THE CTLR'S INTENTIONS AND RECEIVED ONCE AGAIN A 'ROGER', MEANING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO US. ONCE WE REACHED THE NDB WE ASKED THE CTLR IF HE WANTED US TO PROCEED OUTBND ON THE 070 DEG BEARING, BECAUSE WE WERE UNSURE OF THE APCH IN USE AT THE TIME. WE RECEIVED A 'ROGER' AND IN THE HURRIED STATE WE PROCEEDED ON THE NDB 25 SINCE THIS CORRESPONDED TO THE 070 BEARING WITHOUT REALIZING THERE WERE 2 NDB'S ON THE FIELD. WE FLEW THE PROC FOR NDB 25 OFF ZDX NDB BUT NEVER DESCENDED FROM OUR 2500' ASSIGNED ALT BECAUSE WE WERE NEVER CLRED FOR THE APCH. WE INFORMED THE CTLR 2 SEPARATE TIMES OF OUR POSITION WITH NO DISAPPROVAL. AS WE TURNED INBND TO ZDX THE CTLR, AFTER WE ONCE AGAIN GAVE OUR POSITION OFF ZDX, INFORMED US THE APCH IN USE WAS THE NDB-A CIRCLE RWY 7. WE THEN PROCEEDED BACK TO THE APPROPRIATE NDB AND FLEW THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT ANY FURTHER PROBLEM. I FEEL THIS ALL COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THE CTLR HAD MADE HIS INTENTIONS KNOWN FROM THE BEGINNING. WE ALSO FEEL THE MANNER IN WHICH HE SPOKE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE CLEAR AND CONCISE AND A LITTLE SLOWER. WE ALL WERE UNFAMILIAR WITH THE ARPT WITH MYSELF BEING THE ONLY ONE HAVING BEEN THERE ONCE BEFORE.

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.