Narrative:

Approaching tlc VOR from the east at 13000 ft, approximately heading was 250 degree. Tlc ATC cleared us for the VOR/DME 15 to intercept the ILS final. The conditions at the time were less than favorable with darkness, clouds, rain, 4 SM visibility, and an inoperative approach lighting system. Only the high intensity runway lights were working. The VOR/DME approach was a tear-drop procedure departing the VOR to the northwest. A holding pattern was depicted on the southeast side of the VOR. Since our heading was more than 30 degrees off the outbound course of the approach, a turn in holding was required by ICAO procedures. The intent here was to be established on the outbound course after passing the VOR. A turn in holding would allow proper positioning of the aircraft for the ensuing penetration. We executed a left turn for holding and after rolling wings level we were told by ATC that we had turned the wrong way. The first officer tried to explain our position but there was a breakdown in communications. ATC told us to turn right to the VOR and execute the approach. We complied. Before switching to tower ATC informed us that our procedures were incorrect and that the approach did not allow for a left turn. A discussion with our company flight standards department indicated that another crew had experienced the same situation on an earlier flight. They had since learned that mexico did not abide by this particular ICAO procedure. In this case, a turn to the outbound heading was expected after passing the VOR -- no turn in holding was required. Too bad all countries do not operate under the same set of rules. Flight standards has generated an all pilot read memo dealing with this situation. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: this report involved extensive research and after many phone calls and facsimile to various FAA/ICAO offices, the situation was eventually confirmed by an ICAO coordinator in canada, that the flight crew followed correct procedures. Specifically, when an inbound course is more than 30 degrees from the outbound course, a turn should be made in the holding pattern in order to be established over the facility on the correct outbound course. ICAO document 8168, paragraph 3.2.4.1 is somewhat confusing, but reporter's company is teaching the correct procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ICAO PROCS FOR COMMENCING AN APCH FROM MORE THAN 30 DEGS FROM INBOUND COURSE IS SPECIFIED IN ICAO DOCUMENT 8168, PARAGRAPH 3 PT 2 PT 4 PT 1. THAT PROC CALLS FOR MAKING A TURN IN THE DEPICTED HOLDING PATTERN AFTER INITIALLY XING THE VOR (OR FACILITY) BEFORE PROCEEDING OUTBOUND ON THE APCH PROC COURSE.

Narrative: APCHING TLC VOR FROM THE E AT 13000 FT, APPROX HDG WAS 250 DEG. TLC ATC CLRED US FOR THE VOR/DME 15 TO INTERCEPT THE ILS FINAL. THE CONDITIONS AT THE TIME WERE LESS THAN FAVORABLE WITH DARKNESS, CLOUDS, RAIN, 4 SM VISIBILITY, AND AN INOP APCH LIGHTING SYS. ONLY THE HIGH INTENSITY RWY LIGHTS WERE WORKING. THE VOR/DME APCH WAS A TEAR-DROP PROC DEPARTING THE VOR TO THE NW. A HOLDING PATTERN WAS DEPICTED ON THE SE SIDE OF THE VOR. SINCE OUR HDG WAS MORE THAN 30 DEGS OFF THE OUTBOUND COURSE OF THE APCH, A TURN IN HOLDING WAS REQUIRED BY ICAO PROCS. THE INTENT HERE WAS TO BE ESTABLISHED ON THE OUTBOUND COURSE AFTER PASSING THE VOR. A TURN IN HOLDING WOULD ALLOW PROPER POSITIONING OF THE ACFT FOR THE ENSUING PENETRATION. WE EXECUTED A L TURN FOR HOLDING AND AFTER ROLLING WINGS LEVEL WE WERE TOLD BY ATC THAT WE HAD TURNED THE WRONG WAY. THE FO TRIED TO EXPLAIN OUR POS BUT THERE WAS A BREAKDOWN IN COMS. ATC TOLD US TO TURN R TO THE VOR AND EXECUTE THE APCH. WE COMPLIED. BEFORE SWITCHING TO TWR ATC INFORMED US THAT OUR PROCS WERE INCORRECT AND THAT THE APCH DID NOT ALLOW FOR A L TURN. A DISCUSSION WITH OUR COMPANY FLT STANDARDS DEPT INDICATED THAT ANOTHER CREW HAD EXPERIENCED THE SAME SIT ON AN EARLIER FLT. THEY HAD SINCE LEARNED THAT MEXICO DID NOT ABIDE BY THIS PARTICULAR ICAO PROC. IN THIS CASE, A TURN TO THE OUTBOUND HDG WAS EXPECTED AFTER PASSING THE VOR -- NO TURN IN HOLDING WAS REQUIRED. TOO BAD ALL COUNTRIES DO NOT OPERATE UNDER THE SAME SET OF RULES. FLT STANDARDS HAS GENERATED AN ALL PLT READ MEMO DEALING WITH THIS SIT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THIS RPT INVOLVED EXTENSIVE RESEARCH AND AFTER MANY PHONE CALLS AND FAX TO VARIOUS FAA/ICAO OFFICES, THE SIT WAS EVENTUALLY CONFIRMED BY AN ICAO COORDINATOR IN CANADA, THAT THE FLC FOLLOWED CORRECT PROCS. SPECIFICALLY, WHEN AN INBOUND COURSE IS MORE THAN 30 DEGS FROM THE OUTBOUND COURSE, A TURN SHOULD BE MADE IN THE HOLDING PATTERN IN ORDER TO BE ESTABLISHED OVER THE FACILITY ON THE CORRECT OUTBOUND COURSE. ICAO DOCUMENT 8168, PARAGRAPH 3.2.4.1 IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING, BUT RPTR'S COMPANY IS TEACHING THE CORRECT PROC.

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.