Narrative:

I came to us in august, and I started training with an instructor at FBO in long beach airport to be checked out in a robinson R22, because I wanted to rent a helicopter to take my wife for lunch. Since I have not flown for 3 yrs (since I got a private license), it took me a few days to complete the rental check out, flight review, and awareness training which is required in sfar 73. I was told to fly to santa monica airport with my instructor to show my proficiency of flight and navigation skill. I landed at smo without any problem, so I could rent a helicopter next day. My wife and I flew to smo. After contacting the tower, I heard the controller say that I could proceed to the helipad, but I also heard the word 'south' which I could not understand what that meant. While approaching to the runway 21, the controller gave me another instruction. I thought he told me to go over the runway, but he actually said not to overfly the runway. Although I kept asking to 'say again,' I just heard the same phraseology which I could not understand. My comprehension is not as good as when I was training 3 yrs ago. Then I realized that I had been told to turn left and clear the runway immediately, so I did so. Since I had passed the center line without clearance, the security who had been informed the situation came up to us at the helipad and let me know that was a major mistake. I called my instructor and notified her about the problem. She told me to stay at the present place, and came to pick us up later. I now know what I have done was a huge mistake and it could have caused a serious accident. I should have asked the controller to speak slower. I should have read back each instruction to verify if my comprehension was correct. 'When I am not sure about the instruction, I should never proceed until I understand.' then of course, I must study english even while I am in japan.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RWY TRANSGRESS. LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Narrative: I CAME TO US IN AUGUST, AND I STARTED TRAINING WITH AN INSTRUCTOR AT FBO IN LONG BEACH ARPT TO BE CHKED OUT IN A ROBINSON R22, BECAUSE I WANTED TO RENT A HELI TO TAKE MY WIFE FOR LUNCH. SINCE I HAVE NOT FLOWN FOR 3 YRS (SINCE I GOT A PRIVATE LICENSE), IT TOOK ME A FEW DAYS TO COMPLETE THE RENTAL CHK OUT, FLT REVIEW, AND AWARENESS TRAINING WHICH IS REQUIRED IN SFAR 73. I WAS TOLD TO FLY TO SANTA MONICA ARPT WITH MY INSTRUCTOR TO SHOW MY PROFICIENCY OF FLT AND NAV SKILL. I LANDED AT SMO WITHOUT ANY PROB, SO I COULD RENT A HELI NEXT DAY. MY WIFE AND I FLEW TO SMO. AFTER CONTACTING THE TWR, I HEARD THE CTLR SAY THAT I COULD PROCEED TO THE HELIPAD, BUT I ALSO HEARD THE WORD 'SOUTH' WHICH I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THAT MEANT. WHILE APCHING TO THE RWY 21, THE CTLR GAVE ME ANOTHER INSTRUCTION. I THOUGHT HE TOLD ME TO GO OVER THE RWY, BUT HE ACTUALLY SAID NOT TO OVERFLY THE RWY. ALTHOUGH I KEPT ASKING TO 'SAY AGAIN,' I JUST HEARD THE SAME PHRASEOLOGY WHICH I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. MY COMPREHENSION IS NOT AS GOOD AS WHEN I WAS TRAINING 3 YRS AGO. THEN I REALIZED THAT I HAD BEEN TOLD TO TURN L AND CLR THE RWY IMMEDIATELY, SO I DID SO. SINCE I HAD PASSED THE CTR LINE WITHOUT CLRNC, THE SECURITY WHO HAD BEEN INFORMED THE SIT CAME UP TO US AT THE HELIPAD AND LET ME KNOW THAT WAS A MAJOR MISTAKE. I CALLED MY INSTRUCTOR AND NOTIFIED HER ABOUT THE PROB. SHE TOLD ME TO STAY AT THE PRESENT PLACE, AND CAME TO PICK US UP LATER. I NOW KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE WAS A HUGE MISTAKE AND IT COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I SHOULD HAVE ASKED THE CTLR TO SPEAK SLOWER. I SHOULD HAVE READ BACK EACH INSTRUCTION TO VERIFY IF MY COMPREHENSION WAS CORRECT. 'WHEN I AM NOT SURE ABOUT THE INSTRUCTION, I SHOULD NEVER PROCEED UNTIL I UNDERSTAND.' THEN OF COURSE, I MUST STUDY ENGLISH EVEN WHILE I AM IN JAPAN.

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.