Narrative:

Flight delayed out of sel due to late arrival evening before and sel curfew. Scheduled departure was 30L. Called for clearance. Both pilots copy the clearance, and in fact, second officer also listens. Cleared alpha departure, departure frequency 123.8, climb to FL260. Tower cleared us for takeoff. No changes in clearance, use 10-3 page 12/23/88 (climb 323 degree right kip, start turn at 2300' or kip 5 DME). After takeoff told to contact departure. First officer made 3 attempts and returned to kimpo tower. About this time we started our left turn as we were out of 2300'. Contacted tower and told them no contact 123.8. Tower came back 'maintain 2500' and contact approach on 124.8.' were passing 3100' and I'm wasn't about to make a push-over to 2500', so I started a level off of 3500'. We made the call on 124.8 and approach cleared us to FL230 (actual he meant FL260, but confused call sign of flight and altitude). We called for verification and were given FL260. Typical korean operation--we just expect it and try to be ready; sometimes we're surprised. I'm sending this report primarily because of your last mailing and NASA interest in international flying. I can tell you right now, you'll find korea at the top of the list for reports. I'm not sure how you plan to handle a report such as this, but whatever you do, it needs to be done with discretion if your intention to contact the korean agencies. The problem, I believe, is in the procedures used by tower. They're rigid and have little consideration of what the aircraft is doing. They may have a policy of holding all aft at 2500' if a communication hand-over problem? Oh yes--somewhere off to the west of us another aircraft was given a turn to intercept runway 13 ILS and descend to 1800'.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANGUAGE BARRIER RESULTS IN FREQ ERROR AND DELAY IN CONTACTING DEP CTLR.

Narrative: FLT DELAYED OUT OF SEL DUE TO LATE ARR EVENING BEFORE AND SEL CURFEW. SCHEDULED DEP WAS 30L. CALLED FOR CLRNC. BOTH PLTS COPY THE CLRNC, AND IN FACT, S/O ALSO LISTENS. CLRED ALPHA DEP, DEP FREQ 123.8, CLB TO FL260. TWR CLRED US FOR TKOF. NO CHANGES IN CLRNC, USE 10-3 PAGE 12/23/88 (CLB 323 DEG R KIP, START TURN AT 2300' OR KIP 5 DME). AFTER TKOF TOLD TO CONTACT DEP. F/O MADE 3 ATTEMPTS AND RETURNED TO KIMPO TWR. ABOUT THIS TIME WE STARTED OUR LEFT TURN AS WE WERE OUT OF 2300'. CONTACTED TWR AND TOLD THEM NO CONTACT 123.8. TWR CAME BACK 'MAINTAIN 2500' AND CONTACT APCH ON 124.8.' WERE PASSING 3100' AND I'M WASN'T ABOUT TO MAKE A PUSH-OVER TO 2500', SO I STARTED A LEVEL OFF OF 3500'. WE MADE THE CALL ON 124.8 AND APCH CLRED US TO FL230 (ACTUAL HE MEANT FL260, BUT CONFUSED CALL SIGN OF FLT AND ALT). WE CALLED FOR VERIFICATION AND WERE GIVEN FL260. TYPICAL KOREAN OPERATION--WE JUST EXPECT IT AND TRY TO BE READY; SOMETIMES WE'RE SURPRISED. I'M SENDING THIS RPT PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF YOUR LAST MAILING AND NASA INTEREST IN INTL FLYING. I CAN TELL YOU RIGHT NOW, YOU'LL FIND KOREA AT THE TOP OF THE LIST FOR RPTS. I'M NOT SURE HOW YOU PLAN TO HANDLE A RPT SUCH AS THIS, BUT WHATEVER YOU DO, IT NEEDS TO BE DONE WITH DISCRETION IF YOUR INTENTION TO CONTACT THE KOREAN AGENCIES. THE PROB, I BELIEVE, IS IN THE PROCS USED BY TWR. THEY'RE RIGID AND HAVE LITTLE CONSIDERATION OF WHAT THE ACFT IS DOING. THEY MAY HAVE A POLICY OF HOLDING ALL AFT AT 2500' IF A COM HAND-OVER PROB? OH YES--SOMEWHERE OFF TO THE W OF US ANOTHER ACFT WAS GIVEN A TURN TO INTERCEPT RWY 13 ILS AND DSND TO 1800'.

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