Less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	298970
Time
Date	199503
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : nas
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-400
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : nas
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 225
ASRS Report	298970
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Approaching nassan, I received a clearance to 170 degrees and 4000 ft. We complied. I made an announcement to the flight attendants and passenger about our arrival time (time to prepare cabin for landing). Upon returning to frequency, approach gave us a heading to 140 degrees and descend to 2000 ft. We complied. He then informed us we had not followed previous instructions and that he had to deviate another aircraft because we entered his 'space.' the first officer never heard (nor did I) any previous clearance. We did notice on TCASII another aircraft 3-4 mi. In foreign airspace it is very difficult to understand the different dialects. Response and acknowledgment is very important for both 'sides' to do. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter flies the B-737-300 and -400 for a major united states air carrier on domestic and international rtes. He was off frequency making a PA. The first officer heard no heading change and certainly did not acknowledge a change. The reporter was not at all receptive to the notion of listening to ATC while making a PA. This procedure worked well for this venerable analyst who was world renowned for the inanity of his PA's.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LTSS.

Narrative: APCHING NASSAN, I RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 170 DEGS AND 4000 FT. WE COMPLIED. I MADE AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE FLT ATTENDANTS AND PAX ABOUT OUR ARR TIME (TIME TO PREPARE CABIN FOR LNDG). UPON RETURNING TO FREQ, APCH GAVE US A HDG TO 140 DEGS AND DSND TO 2000 FT. WE COMPLIED. HE THEN INFORMED US WE HAD NOT FOLLOWED PREVIOUS INSTRUCTIONS AND THAT HE HAD TO DEVIATE ANOTHER ACFT BECAUSE WE ENTERED HIS 'SPACE.' THE FO NEVER HEARD (NOR DID I) ANY PREVIOUS CLRNC. WE DID NOTICE ON TCASII ANOTHER ACFT 3-4 MI. IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENT DIALECTS. RESPONSE AND ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR BOTH 'SIDES' TO DO. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR FLIES THE B-737-300 AND -400 FOR A MAJOR UNITED STATES ACR ON DOMESTIC AND INTL RTES. HE WAS OFF FREQ MAKING A PA. THE FO HEARD NO HDG CHANGE AND CERTAINLY DID NOT ACKNOWLEDGE A CHANGE. THE RPTR WAS NOT AT ALL RECEPTIVE TO THE NOTION OF LISTENING TO ATC WHILE MAKING A PA. THIS PROC WORKED WELL FOR THIS VENERABLE ANALYST WHO WAS WORLD RENOWNED FOR THE INANITY OF HIS PA'S.

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.