Narrative:

We were cleared for approach to runway 30 in islamabad, pakistan, and told to contact tower. First officer switched to 123.7 and reported 'ILS inbound' and we were cleared to land. Tower phraseology was non standard and his command of english was limited, but we were cleared to land. After landing, a 180 degree turn on the runway and back-taxi was required in order to enter the ramp. Three attempts to contact on tower frequency (123.7) for taxi clearance were ineffective. The tower is located behind a large hangar and transmission may have been blocked. During the taxi we switched radios and were finally able to contact the tower, at which time we were accused of landing without a clearance. A later phone conversation after block- in apparently solved the matter. Later, on taxi out, we received clearance to 'the holding point runway 12 to back track on the runway.' as we proceeded to execute this maneuver we were accused of violating a taxi clearance and entering the runway. All of us understood the clearance in the same manner and proceeded as directed prior to the accusation. In my opinion, his lack of command of english and non standard aviation terminology which is accepted world-wide led to his confusion as to what he had cleared us to do.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANGUAGE BARRIER CAUSES MISCOM REGARDING LNDG CLRNC, THEN ADDITIONAL PROB ON TAXI OUT FOR TKOF.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR APCH TO RWY 30 IN ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN, AND TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. FO SWITCHED TO 123.7 AND RPTED 'ILS INBOUND' AND WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. TWR PHRASEOLOGY WAS NON STANDARD AND HIS COMMAND OF ENGLISH WAS LIMITED, BUT WE WERE CLRED TO LAND. AFTER LNDG, A 180 DEG TURN ON THE RWY AND BACK-TAXI WAS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO ENTER THE RAMP. THREE ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT ON TWR FREQ (123.7) FOR TAXI CLRNC WERE INEFFECTIVE. THE TWR IS LOCATED BEHIND A LARGE HANGAR AND XMISSION MAY HAVE BEEN BLOCKED. DURING THE TAXI WE SWITCHED RADIOS AND WERE FINALLY ABLE TO CONTACT THE TWR, AT WHICH TIME WE WERE ACCUSED OF LNDG WITHOUT A CLRNC. A LATER PHONE CONVERSATION AFTER BLOCK- IN APPARENTLY SOLVED THE MATTER. LATER, ON TAXI OUT, WE RECEIVED CLRNC TO 'THE HOLDING POINT RWY 12 TO BACK TRACK ON THE RWY.' AS WE PROCEEDED TO EXECUTE THIS MANEUVER WE WERE ACCUSED OF VIOLATING A TAXI CLRNC AND ENTERING THE RWY. ALL OF US UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC IN THE SAME MANNER AND PROCEEDED AS DIRECTED PRIOR TO THE ACCUSATION. IN MY OPINION, HIS LACK OF COMMAND OF ENGLISH AND NON STANDARD AVIATION TERMINOLOGY WHICH IS ACCEPTED WORLD-WIDE LED TO HIS CONFUSION AS TO WHAT HE HAD CLRED US TO DO.

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.