Narrative:

Air carrier XX40 buf-GA. After several vectors from approach control due to minimum spacing on final, approach control handed us over to lga tower for the completion of an ILS to runway 22. The tower controller had a very heavy asian accent which is very difficult to understand. After receiving a clearance to land, we heard 'XXXX spacing, XXX40 go around.' I started a go around but I could not be sure if it was for us, not did I think it should be for us, so I asked my first officer to have lga tower repeat the transmission. This time it was 'air carrier Y40 go around.' air carrier Y40 was 2 aircraft behind us. I have flown with numerous pilots who have had extreme difficulty understanding this particular controller in the past. Please review this tower tape. I feel there is significant potential for an accident in the future, unless something is done.callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated he had called the tower and informed the supervisor of the problem with the controller language barrier problem. Reporter also turned the matter over to the union and they had requested the tapes and were going to pursue the matter. Reporter given FAA safety hot line number. Supplemental information from acn 267945: aircraft spacing was still a concern as the tower controller continued to ask for aircraft approach speeds. Each transmission from the tower controller was difficult to follow. Tensions became heightened when the tower controller issued a 'go around' for an aircraft with a call sign we believed to be ours. Watching the spacing on TCASII,and, after having been asked to slow to minimum approach speed, we believed the go around to be ours 'air carrier XX40.' because of the confusion with most of the tower controller's instructions, I asked for a repeat of the instruction. I might add that spacing between all aircraft seemed to be minimal. On the repeat instruction from tower it was somewhat clearer. The tower controller's verbiage was difficult to follow. We were very uncomfortable.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND LCL CTLR ATC INSTRUCTIONS. LANGUAGE BARRIER. TCASII USED FOR SPACING.

Narrative: ACR XX40 BUF-GA. AFTER SEVERAL VECTORS FROM APCH CTL DUE TO MINIMUM SPACING ON FINAL, APCH CTL HANDED US OVER TO LGA TWR FOR THE COMPLETION OF AN ILS TO RWY 22. THE TWR CTLR HAD A VERY HVY ASIAN ACCENT WHICH IS VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. AFTER RECEIVING A CLRNC TO LAND, WE HEARD 'XXXX SPACING, XXX40 GAR.' I STARTED A GAR BUT I COULD NOT BE SURE IF IT WAS FOR US, NOT DID I THINK IT SHOULD BE FOR US, SO I ASKED MY FO TO HAVE LGA TWR REPEAT THE XMISSION. THIS TIME IT WAS 'ACR Y40 GAR.' ACR Y40 WAS 2 ACFT BEHIND US. I HAVE FLOWN WITH NUMEROUS PLTS WHO HAVE HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THIS PARTICULAR CTLR IN THE PAST. PLEASE REVIEW THIS TWR TAPE. I FEEL THERE IS SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR AN ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE, UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE.CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED HE HAD CALLED THE TWR AND INFORMED THE SUPVR OF THE PROB WITH THE CTLR LANGUAGE BARRIER PROB. RPTR ALSO TURNED THE MATTER OVER TO THE UNION AND THEY HAD REQUESTED THE TAPES AND WERE GOING TO PURSUE THE MATTER. RPTR GIVEN FAA SAFETY HOT LINE NUMBER. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 267945: ACFT SPACING WAS STILL A CONCERN AS THE TWR CTLR CONTINUED TO ASK FOR ACFT APCH SPDS. EACH XMISSION FROM THE TWR CTLR WAS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW. TENSIONS BECAME HEIGHTENED WHEN THE TWR CTLR ISSUED A 'GAR' FOR AN ACFT WITH A CALL SIGN WE BELIEVED TO BE OURS. WATCHING THE SPACING ON TCASII,AND, AFTER HAVING BEEN ASKED TO SLOW TO MINIMUM APCH SPD, WE BELIEVED THE GAR TO BE OURS 'ACR XX40.' BECAUSE OF THE CONFUSION WITH MOST OF THE TWR CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS, I ASKED FOR A REPEAT OF THE INSTRUCTION. I MIGHT ADD THAT SPACING BTWN ALL ACFT SEEMED TO BE MINIMAL. ON THE REPEAT INSTRUCTION FROM TWR IT WAS SOMEWHAT CLEARER. THE TWR CTLR'S VERBIAGE WAS DIFFICULT TO FOLLOW. WE WERE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE.

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.