Narrative:

On the arrival, (V-39) to mmlo leon mexico, leon approach cleared us to fly the 'VOR/DME 2 runway 31, report intercepting the 12 DME arc.' the VOR DME 2 runway 13 was in the FMS and we were surprised to hear that leon had switched to runway 31 (area WX indicated 13). I, the first officer, queried the controller a second time as to the approach to be flown and the response was 'VOR/DME 2 runway 31.' the captain and I both heard the same response and began to set up the FMC/EFIS for the new approach. The captain elected to remain at minimum sector altitude and reference raw data to execute this approach clearance from our present position. I briefed the approach as the captain began an intercept heading for the 12 DME arc for runway 31. Approximately 4 mins into the maneuver, leon approach asked us if we had intercepted the 12 DME arc. I replied, 'we are in the process of intercepting the 12 DME arc.' the controller then cleared us to commence the approach. Approximately 2 mins later, the controller advised us that 'mexico city center had us on radar north and east of the 12 DME arc.' my reply was 'that's correct' based on our geometry coming from V-39 to the VOR/DME 2 runway 31. The controller then said we were out of position for runway 13 and to proceed direct to the bjx VOR at 11000 ft. The captain elected not to descend below grid mora, 12000 ft, until established on some segment of some approach that the controller and us agreed on. It was at that point that I queried the controller as to which approach he would like us to fly. He said upon reaching the VOR, you are cleared to fly the VOR/DME 1 runway 13, report final. This was the first time we had heard runway 13. We commenced the VOR/DME 1, runway 13 uneventfully and landed. On the ground, the controller said emphatically that he checked the tapes, and that his original clearance was to fly the VOR/DME 2 runway 13. Neither the captain nor I ever heard this clearance, rather we both heard the clearance to runway 31. This in of itself is a huge issue, but in mexico with the language barrier and terrain it had all the makings of cali.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: F100 FLC CHALLENGED BY MMLO APCH FOR NOT FLYING THE CLRED APCH.

Narrative: ON THE ARR, (V-39) TO MMLO LEON MEXICO, LEON APCH CLRED US TO FLY THE 'VOR/DME 2 RWY 31, RPT INTERCEPTING THE 12 DME ARC.' THE VOR DME 2 RWY 13 WAS IN THE FMS AND WE WERE SURPRISED TO HEAR THAT LEON HAD SWITCHED TO RWY 31 (AREA WX INDICATED 13). I, THE FO, QUERIED THE CTLR A SECOND TIME AS TO THE APCH TO BE FLOWN AND THE RESPONSE WAS 'VOR/DME 2 RWY 31.' THE CAPT AND I BOTH HEARD THE SAME RESPONSE AND BEGAN TO SET UP THE FMC/EFIS FOR THE NEW APCH. THE CAPT ELECTED TO REMAIN AT MINIMUM SECTOR ALT AND REF RAW DATA TO EXECUTE THIS APCH CLRNC FROM OUR PRESENT POS. I BRIEFED THE APCH AS THE CAPT BEGAN AN INTERCEPT HEADING FOR THE 12 DME ARC FOR RWY 31. APPROX 4 MINS INTO THE MANEUVER, LEON APCH ASKED US IF WE HAD INTERCEPTED THE 12 DME ARC. I REPLIED, 'WE ARE IN THE PROCESS OF INTERCEPTING THE 12 DME ARC.' THE CTLR THEN CLRED US TO COMMENCE THE APCH. APPROX 2 MINS LATER, THE CTLR ADVISED US THAT 'MEXICO CITY CTR HAD US ON RADAR N AND E OF THE 12 DME ARC.' MY REPLY WAS 'THAT'S CORRECT' BASED ON OUR GEOMETRY COMING FROM V-39 TO THE VOR/DME 2 RWY 31. THE CTLR THEN SAID WE WERE OUT OF POS FOR RWY 13 AND TO PROCEED DIRECT TO THE BJX VOR AT 11000 FT. THE CAPT ELECTED NOT TO DSND BELOW GRID MORA, 12000 FT, UNTIL ESTABLISHED ON SOME SEGMENT OF SOME APCH THAT THE CTLR AND US AGREED ON. IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT I QUERIED THE CTLR AS TO WHICH APCH HE WOULD LIKE US TO FLY. HE SAID UPON REACHING THE VOR, YOU ARE CLRED TO FLY THE VOR/DME 1 RWY 13, RPT FINAL. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME WE HAD HEARD RWY 13. WE COMMENCED THE VOR/DME 1, RWY 13 UNEVENTFULLY AND LANDED. ON THE GND, THE CTLR SAID EMPHATICALLY THAT HE CHKED THE TAPES, AND THAT HIS ORIGINAL CLRNC WAS TO FLY THE VOR/DME 2 RWY 13. NEITHER THE CAPT NOR I EVER HEARD THIS CLRNC, RATHER WE BOTH HEARD THE CLRNC TO RWY 31. THIS IN OF ITSELF IS A HUGE ISSUE, BUT IN MEXICO WITH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND TERRAIN IT HAD ALL THE MAKINGS OF CALI.

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.