Narrative:

Foreign mlt X northbound A554, FL310, non radar environment. Mlt X declared an emergency due to shutdown of #2 engine and requires present altitude. Mlt X responded, 'FL270.' I advised, 'traffic, southbound, opp direction, FL270--a foreign large transport y--on your arwy.' pilot's response was, 'unable to maintain FL270.' I advised mlt X, 'another aircraft is at FL270, I need you out of FL270.' pilot responded, 'can I have FL260?' to avoid further confusion I cleared mlt X to descend and maintain FL210. The aircraft continued his descent and was cleared direct to jfk. Studying the flight strips later showed that the 2 aircraft had passed each other just before mlt X began his descent. However, if the southbound large transport Y had been a little later, the probability of a collision was very high, especially with a foreign pilot misunderstanding a traffic warning with a clearance for him. I have come across several instances in which a foreign pilot's poor understanding of english has led to problems--up to this point minor, but in this circumstance could have led to a collision and loss of many lives.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MLT WITH 1 ENGINE OUT STOPPED DESCENT AT SAME ALT AS OPPOSITE DIRECTION LGT ON OCEANIC AIRWAY. MLT MISINTERP CLRNC AND TRAFFIC INFORMATION.

Narrative: FOREIGN MLT X NBND A554, FL310, NON RADAR ENVIRONMENT. MLT X DECLARED AN EMER DUE TO SHUTDOWN OF #2 ENG AND REQUIRES PRESENT ALT. MLT X RESPONDED, 'FL270.' I ADVISED, 'TFC, SBND, OPP DIRECTION, FL270--A FOREIGN LGT Y--ON YOUR ARWY.' PLT'S RESPONSE WAS, 'UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FL270.' I ADVISED MLT X, 'ANOTHER ACFT IS AT FL270, I NEED YOU OUT OF FL270.' PLT RESPONDED, 'CAN I HAVE FL260?' TO AVOID FURTHER CONFUSION I CLRED MLT X TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL210. THE ACFT CONTINUED HIS DSNT AND WAS CLRED DIRECT TO JFK. STUDYING THE FLT STRIPS LATER SHOWED THAT THE 2 ACFT HAD PASSED EACH OTHER JUST BEFORE MLT X BEGAN HIS DSNT. HOWEVER, IF THE SBND LGT Y HAD BEEN A LITTLE LATER, THE PROBABILITY OF A COLLISION WAS VERY HIGH, ESPECIALLY WITH A FOREIGN PLT MISUNDERSTANDING A TFC WARNING WITH A CLRNC FOR HIM. I HAVE COME ACROSS SEVERAL INSTANCES IN WHICH A FOREIGN PLT'S POOR UNDERSTANDING OF ENGLISH HAS LED TO PROBS--UP TO THIS POINT MINOR, BUT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE COULD HAVE LED TO A COLLISION AND LOSS OF MANY LIVES.

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.