An air carrier pilot flew a heading after takeoff rather than a radial because of a language problem...

Attributes
ACN	232243
Time
Date	199301
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : asu
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 0 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : asu tower : asu
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : initial ground : preflight
Route In Use	departure other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 120 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	232243
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

We were given a clearance by asunction, paraguay, south america ground control/clearance personnel to climb unrestricted to 37000 ft after takeoff on an 80 degree heading, taking off on runway 2. After we were cleared to ATC, they told us we were supposed to have been on an 80 degree radial from asu VOR. It was a language problem from the ground/clearance controller. He just rogered any repeat of the clearance we gave him. We have had other problems with language there before.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR PLT FLEW A HDG AFTER TKOF RATHER THAN A RADIAL BECAUSE OF A LANGUAGE PROB.

Narrative: WE WERE GIVEN A CLRNC BY ASUNCTION, PARAGUAY, S AMERICA GND CTL/CLRNC PERSONNEL TO CLB UNRESTRICTED TO 37000 FT AFTER TKOF ON AN 80 DEG HDG, TAKING OFF ON RWY 2. AFTER WE WERE CLRED TO ATC, THEY TOLD US WE WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN ON AN 80 DEG RADIAL FROM ASU VOR. IT WAS A LANGUAGE PROB FROM THE GND/CLRNC CTLR. HE JUST ROGERED ANY REPEAT OF THE CLRNC WE GAVE HIM. WE HAVE HAD OTHER PROBS WITH LANGUAGE THERE BEFORE.

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.