Narrative:

Had clearance from san jose del cabo to san diego, ca 20000 ft report passing 9000 ft. On taxi out requested shore link to punta gordo. Then climb on course. We received cleared as requested. We took off, climbed to only 1500 ft at point a right over punta gorda tower called and asked our position. I told them over punta gorda (14 mi east of airport). Tower then said I should have made right turn after takeoff. About this time tower asked air carrier B their altitude in spanish, air carrier B said 3500 ft. Tower then told me a time group. This time group worries me and still does and will for a couple of months. I was now asked for permission to climb. They gave permission to climb. So I climbed to join airway and head north to san diego. I waited a while until 6000 ft and asked 'any problem?' I was trying to smooth things over. He said traffic compromised at xxxxz and something about left turn and right turn. I'm worried! What I think happened, he thought we were going to turn right cleared to 20000 ft. And air carrier B 2-3 min behind us will turn left. Both of us cleared to a high altitude. I do not think the 2 aircraft were anywhere close to each other. Due to staying at 1500 ft and not going above until cleared to, and also the 2-3 min difference in takeoff times. I never saw B aircraft. I think they were at a much higher altitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states language barrier part of problem. He was taking passenger on sightseeing tour, but will never do that again. He worried for 2 months after event. Concerned that the time given was being written down for a possible report. He was aware something was not right, so he did not climb. Other aircraft was well above by that time. Has heard nothing further.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR GETS CLRNC TO FLY OVER TOWN FOR SIGHTSEEING. THE QUESTIONED ABOUT L TURNOUT AND POS.

Narrative: HAD CLRNC FROM SAN JOSE DEL CABO TO SAN DIEGO, CA 20000 FT RPT PASSING 9000 FT. ON TAXI OUT REQUESTED SHORE LINK TO PUNTA GORDO. THEN CLB ON COURSE. WE RECEIVED CLRED AS REQUESTED. WE TOOK OFF, CLBED TO ONLY 1500 FT AT POINT A R OVER PUNTA GORDA TWR CALLED AND ASKED OUR POS. I TOLD THEM OVER PUNTA GORDA (14 MI E OF ARPT). TWR THEN SAID I SHOULD HAVE MADE R TURN AFTER TAKEOFF. ABOUT THIS TIME TWR ASKED ACR B THEIR ALT IN SPANISH, ACR B SAID 3500 FT. TWR THEN TOLD ME A TIME GROUP. THIS TIME GROUP WORRIES ME AND STILL DOES AND WILL FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I WAS NOW ASKED FOR PERMISSION TO CLB. THEY GAVE PERMISSION TO CLB. SO I CLBED TO JOIN AIRWAY AND HEAD NORTH TO SAN DIEGO. I WAITED A WHILE UNTIL 6000 FT AND ASKED 'ANY PROBLEM?' I WAS TRYING TO SMOOTH THINGS OVER. HE SAID TFC COMPROMISED AT XXXXZ AND SOMETHING ABOUT L TURN AND R TURN. I'M WORRIED! WHAT I THINK HAPPENED, HE THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO TURN R CLRED TO 20000 FT. AND ACR B 2-3 MIN BEHIND US WILL TURN L. BOTH OF US CLRED TO A HIGH ALT. I DO NOT THINK THE 2 ACFT WERE ANYWHERE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER. DUE TO STAYING AT 1500 FT AND NOT GOING ABOVE UNTIL CLRED TO, AND ALSO THE 2-3 MIN DIFFERENCE IN TKOF TIMES. I NEVER SAW B ACFT. I THINK THEY WERE AT A MUCH HIGHER ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES LANGUAGE BARRIER PART OF PROBLEM. HE WAS TAKING PAX ON SIGHTSEEING TOUR, BUT WILL NEVER DO THAT AGAIN. HE WORRIED FOR 2 MONTHS AFTER EVENT. CONCERNED THAT THE TIME GIVEN WAS BEING WRITTEN DOWN FOR A POSSIBLE RPT. HE WAS AWARE SOMETHING WAS NOT RIGHT, SO HE DID NOT CLB. OTHER ACFT WAS WELL ABOVE BY THAT TIME. HAS HEARD NOTHING FURTHER.

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.