Altitude overshot during departure.

Attributes
ACN	202663
Time
Date	199202
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : miq
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : miq tower : miq
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Heavy Transport, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : sid
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 7900
ASRS Report	202663
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Prior to takeoff a new clearance was issued by sumi (maiquetia venezuela) tower operator, 'now execute #3 rekon departure cleared to FL310, cleared for immediate takeoff.' we were at 5000 ft when we were handed off to maiquetia departure. The departure controller advised us that we were only cleared to 4000 ft. We immediately descended from 5000 ft to 4000 ft. Prior to our takeoff a lengthy conversation in 'spanish' was being conducted by the tower controller and an unknown aircraft. I believe ICAO rules state that ATC instructions should be conducted in english and that this was a contributing factor in the clearance to FL310.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALT OVERSHOT DURING DEP.

Narrative: PRIOR TO TKOF A NEW CLRNC WAS ISSUED BY SUMI (MAIQUETIA VENEZUELA) TWR OPERATOR, 'NOW EXECUTE #3 REKON DEP CLRED TO FL310, CLRED FOR IMMEDIATE TKOF.' WE WERE AT 5000 FT WHEN WE WERE HANDED OFF TO MAIQUETIA DEP. THE DEP CTLR ADVISED US THAT WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 4000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY DSNDED FROM 5000 FT TO 4000 FT. PRIOR TO OUR TKOF A LENGTHY CONVERSATION IN 'SPANISH' WAS BEING CONDUCTED BY THE TWR CTLR AND AN UNKNOWN ACFT. I BELIEVE ICAO RULES STATE THAT ATC INSTRUCTIONS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN ENGLISH AND THAT THIS WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE CLRNC TO FL310.

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.