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A B737-500 flight crew descends below their assigned altitude during a clearance misunderstanding due to a language barrier near mmgl, first officer.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 537707 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200202 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mmgl.airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 12000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mmgl.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 160 flight time total : 11500 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 537707 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 9000 flight time type : 4800 |
| ASRS Report | 537706 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Upon descent and approach to gdl (mmgl), about 15 mi north of airport, we were given vectors for our approach. Controller asked our altitude. We told him 10000 ft (which we had confirmed with each other). He told us we should be at 12000 ft, and then descended us to 9000 ft and did not seem concerned. As it was my and the first officer's first time into gdl, we extensively and thoroughly briefed the approach and terrain considerations before we started our descent. I do not feel that there was a threat to safety -- it was just a matter of miscom that may have been avoided with clrer communications. Doublechk ATC clearance when dealing with foreign ATC. Make sure foreign ATC workers speak english more clearly. Supplemental information from acn 537706: I feel it was a misunderstanding between a united states crew and a mexican controller due to the language barrier.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A B737-500 FLC DSNDS BELOW THEIR ASSIGNED ALT DURING A CLRNC MISUNDERSTANDING DUE TO A LANGUAGE BARRIER NEAR MMGL, FO.
Narrative: UPON DSCNT AND APCH TO GDL (MMGL), ABOUT 15 MI N OF ARPT, WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS FOR OUR APCH. CTLR ASKED OUR ALT. WE TOLD HIM 10000 FT (WHICH WE HAD CONFIRMED WITH EACH OTHER). HE TOLD US WE SHOULD BE AT 12000 FT, AND THEN DSNDED US TO 9000 FT AND DID NOT SEEM CONCERNED. AS IT WAS MY AND THE FO'S FIRST TIME INTO GDL, WE EXTENSIVELY AND THOROUGHLY BRIEFED THE APCH AND TERRAIN CONSIDERATIONS BEFORE WE STARTED OUR DSCNT. I DO NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS A THREAT TO SAFETY -- IT WAS JUST A MATTER OF MISCOM THAT MAY HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH CLRER COMS. DOUBLECHK ATC CLRNC WHEN DEALING WITH FOREIGN ATC. MAKE SURE FOREIGN ATC WORKERS SPEAK ENGLISH MORE CLRLY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 537706: I FEEL IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN A UNITED STATES CREW AND A MEXICAN CTLR DUE TO THE LANGUAGE BARRIER.
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.