An air carrier B727 flight crew reports that phraseology by a foreign controller caused a runway incursion at a foreign airport. The reporter exited the runway as soon as the error was recognized.

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Attributes
ACN	376013
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : baq
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	376013
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : instrument
ASRS Report	376012
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Ready for takeoff holding short. The tower controller said maintain position. So we held short of runway 4. Later he said B737 on 5 mi position and hold. We taxied into position and held. The air carrier B737 objected very strongly in spanish, unfortunately none of us understand spanish well enough to completely understand what air carrier flight crew was saying. The tower indicated in poor phraseology that we were not supposed to enter the runway. We immediately exited the runway taxiing clear. After the air carrier B737 landed, the tower said to taxi in position and hold. He then cleared us for takeoff. Note, that he used the exact same terminology in both cases. The first time, I think he meant to say hold position. Although previously he had said maintain position (meaning hold short). I think it would be very helpful if everybody (including united states of america) used ICAO phrases -- such as, line up and wait, etc. It is very difficult for many controllers in south and central america that may use their english only once or twice a day.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR B727 FLC RPTS THAT PHRASEOLOGY BY A FOREIGN CTLR CAUSED A RWY INCURSION AT A FOREIGN ARPT. THE RPTR EXITED THE RWY AS SOON AS THE ERROR WAS RECOGNIZED.

Narrative: READY FOR TKOF HOLDING SHORT. THE TWR CTLR SAID MAINTAIN POS. SO WE HELD SHORT OF RWY 4. LATER HE SAID B737 ON 5 MI POS AND HOLD. WE TAXIED INTO POS AND HELD. THE ACR B737 OBJECTED VERY STRONGLY IN SPANISH, UNFORTUNATELY NONE OF US UNDERSTAND SPANISH WELL ENOUGH TO COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND WHAT ACR FLC WAS SAYING. THE TWR INDICATED IN POOR PHRASEOLOGY THAT WE WERE NOT SUPPOSED TO ENTER THE RWY. WE IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE RWY TAXIING CLR. AFTER THE ACR B737 LANDED, THE TWR SAID TO TAXI IN POS AND HOLD. HE THEN CLRED US FOR TKOF. NOTE, THAT HE USED THE EXACT SAME TERMINOLOGY IN BOTH CASES. THE FIRST TIME, I THINK HE MEANT TO SAY HOLD POS. ALTHOUGH PREVIOUSLY HE HAD SAID MAINTAIN POS (MEANING HOLD SHORT). I THINK IT WOULD BE VERY HELPFUL IF EVERYBODY (INCLUDING UNITED STATES OF AMERICA) USED ICAO PHRASES -- SUCH AS, LINE UP AND WAIT, ETC. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR MANY CTLRS IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA THAT MAY USE THEIR ENGLISH ONLY ONCE OR TWICE A DAY.

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.