Narrative:

Clo ATC inability to speak english in understandable manner. During to roll on runway 35 at clo. Tower operator transmitted a 5-10 second litany in what I believe was an attempt at english. The transmission ended with our call sign. It was unintelligible, nonstandard and included what seemed like references to a local dialect. We asked for 4 repeats. And still, even with 10+ yrs of flying into clo, I had no idea what the clearance/advisory was. We switched to departure, and informed them that we were unable to understand the tower. We were told to climb as per out clearance, but we then noted traffic on TCASII that was descending through our altitude at 11000 ft and 5 mi. I am assuming that was the report, but I cannot be sure. We must insist that clo ATC receive english improvements and be required to adhere to ICAO terminology or set up a strategy that places an interpreter between ATC and crews. As we know, this situation has always existed to some degree. It has now degenerated to the point that the safety of our operation is becoming compromised.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW WAS NOT ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE ATCT LCL CTLR BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO COM IN ENGLISH.

Narrative: CLO ATC INABILITY TO SPEAK ENGLISH IN UNDERSTANDABLE MANNER. DURING TO ROLL ON RWY 35 AT CLO. TWR OPERATOR XMITTED A 5-10 SECOND LITANY IN WHAT I BELIEVE WAS AN ATTEMPT AT ENGLISH. THE XMISSION ENDED WITH OUR CALL SIGN. IT WAS UNINTELLIGIBLE, NONSTANDARD AND INCLUDED WHAT SEEMED LIKE REFS TO A LCL DIALECT. WE ASKED FOR 4 REPEATS. AND STILL, EVEN WITH 10+ YRS OF FLYING INTO CLO, I HAD NO IDEA WHAT THE CLRNC/ADVISORY WAS. WE SWITCHED TO DEP, AND INFORMED THEM THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE TWR. WE WERE TOLD TO CLB AS PER OUT CLRNC, BUT WE THEN NOTED TFC ON TCASII THAT WAS DSNDING THROUGH OUR ALT AT 11000 FT AND 5 MI. I AM ASSUMING THAT WAS THE RPT, BUT I CANNOT BE SURE. WE MUST INSIST THAT CLO ATC RECEIVE ENGLISH IMPROVEMENTS AND BE REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO ICAO TERMINOLOGY OR SET UP A STRATEGY THAT PLACES AN INTERPRETER BTWN ATC AND CREWS. AS WE KNOW, THIS SIT HAS ALWAYS EXISTED TO SOME DEGREE. IT HAS NOW DEGENERATED TO THE POINT THAT THE SAFETY OF OUR OP IS BECOMING COMPROMISED.

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.