Commuter flight crew consists of new hire with language difficulty resulting in altitude deviation.

Attributes
ACN	292841
Time
Date	199501
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rwf
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zmp
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 210 flight time total : 5800 flight time type : 1500
ASRS Report	292841
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I was flying as captain. My first officer was new hire, portugese nationality. We were given clearance from 15000 ft to 9000 ft then pilot's discretion to 7000 ft to cross cedar fix at 7000 ft. First officer was working the radios. He had a tough time understanding and reading back clearance. Due to his english pronunciation and inexperience passing through 9000 ft, I asked him to verify 7000 ft as a final. He had a tough time transmitting to center. I finally advised center we were out of 9000 ft for 7000 ft. It seemed center was not expecting this. We were given headings for traffic. No conflict arose that I am aware of. Solution: with the new 'low' time pilots (300 hours total time) my awareness must be intensified. I will be extra careful on all communications of my flight crew.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COMMUTER FLC CONSISTS OF NEW HIRE WITH LANGUAGE DIFFICULTY RESULTING IN ALTDEV.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AS CAPT. MY FO WAS NEW HIRE, PORTUGESE NATIONALITY. WE WERE GIVEN CLRNC FROM 15000 FT TO 9000 FT THEN PLT'S DISCRETION TO 7000 FT TO CROSS CEDAR FIX AT 7000 FT. FO WAS WORKING THE RADIOS. HE HAD A TOUGH TIME UNDERSTANDING AND READING BACK CLRNC. DUE TO HIS ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION AND INEXPERIENCE PASSING THROUGH 9000 FT, I ASKED HIM TO VERIFY 7000 FT AS A FINAL. HE HAD A TOUGH TIME XMITTING TO CTR. I FINALLY ADVISED CTR WE WERE OUT OF 9000 FT FOR 7000 FT. IT SEEMED CTR WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS. WE WERE GIVEN HDGS FOR TFC. NO CONFLICT AROSE THAT I AM AWARE OF. SOLUTION: WITH THE NEW 'LOW' TIME PLTS (300 HRS TOTAL TIME) MY AWARENESS MUST BE INTENSIFIED. I WILL BE EXTRA CAREFUL ON ALL COMS OF MY FLC.

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.