Narrative:

We were cleared for an ILS approach into dhaka; bangladesh; from about 20-30 mi out in a non-radar environment. We took the clearance to mean we would intercept the localizer from our position via a heading from tower; but the captain made no indications he was going to turn to intercept the course. I queried tower and they said the radar was off and no headings were issued. Shortly thereafter; I noticed we were approaching the airport at 2000 ft -- our cleared level and the MSA -- and stated as such to the captain. We turned right doing roughly 360 degrees to intercept a 342 or 344 degree course outbound; and tower cleared us for a VOR DME ILS approach. This went much better. We intercepted the localizer; but had no GS guidance on either pilot's instruments. Fortunately; we were in visual conditions and we landed uneventfully. The approach the captain briefed was an ILS 'locator' approach. That would have been ok if we'd have proceeded to the airport; then outbound on the localizer for a course reversal. Most of my charts for dhaka; bangladesh; were missing so I did not realize there were a couple other ILS approachs -- one with a DME arc to intercept the localizer and the VOR DME ILS. Either one would have been fine. Part of the confusion came from extremely difficult communications with the controllers. Had we been more familiar with the approachs; we would have been able to question the controllers to which ILS approach we were cleared for. Ultimately; we made it work. I thumbed through the captain's approachs; noticed the one with the arc; found the VOR DME ILS; and set him up for it. The only thing I can think of to have possibly checked the GS would have been to reset the ILS mode on the MCP; but we were visual and the thought did not cross my mind while we were getting configured for landing.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B747-200 FLT CREW DURING ARR TO VGZR HAS DIFFICULTY WITH ATC INSTRUCTION DUE TO LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES.

Narrative: WE WERE CLRED FOR AN ILS APCH INTO DHAKA; BANGLADESH; FROM ABOUT 20-30 MI OUT IN A NON-RADAR ENVIRONMENT. WE TOOK THE CLRNC TO MEAN WE WOULD INTERCEPT THE LOC FROM OUR POS VIA A HDG FROM TWR; BUT THE CAPT MADE NO INDICATIONS HE WAS GOING TO TURN TO INTERCEPT THE COURSE. I QUERIED TWR AND THEY SAID THE RADAR WAS OFF AND NO HDGS WERE ISSUED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; I NOTICED WE WERE APCHING THE ARPT AT 2000 FT -- OUR CLRED LEVEL AND THE MSA -- AND STATED AS SUCH TO THE CAPT. WE TURNED R DOING ROUGHLY 360 DEGS TO INTERCEPT A 342 OR 344 DEG COURSE OUTBOUND; AND TWR CLRED US FOR A VOR DME ILS APCH. THIS WENT MUCH BETTER. WE INTERCEPTED THE LOC; BUT HAD NO GS GUIDANCE ON EITHER PLT'S INSTS. FORTUNATELY; WE WERE IN VISUAL CONDITIONS AND WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY. THE APCH THE CAPT BRIEFED WAS AN ILS 'LOCATOR' APCH. THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN OK IF WE'D HAVE PROCEEDED TO THE ARPT; THEN OUTBOUND ON THE LOC FOR A COURSE REVERSAL. MOST OF MY CHARTS FOR DHAKA; BANGLADESH; WERE MISSING SO I DID NOT REALIZE THERE WERE A COUPLE OTHER ILS APCHS -- ONE WITH A DME ARC TO INTERCEPT THE LOC AND THE VOR DME ILS. EITHER ONE WOULD HAVE BEEN FINE. PART OF THE CONFUSION CAME FROM EXTREMELY DIFFICULT COMS WITH THE CTLRS. HAD WE BEEN MORE FAMILIAR WITH THE APCHS; WE WOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO QUESTION THE CTLRS TO WHICH ILS APCH WE WERE CLRED FOR. ULTIMATELY; WE MADE IT WORK. I THUMBED THROUGH THE CAPT'S APCHS; NOTICED THE ONE WITH THE ARC; FOUND THE VOR DME ILS; AND SET HIM UP FOR IT. THE ONLY THING I CAN THINK OF TO HAVE POSSIBLY CHKED THE GS WOULD HAVE BEEN TO RESET THE ILS MODE ON THE MCP; BUT WE WERE VISUAL AND THE THOUGHT DID NOT CROSS MY MIND WHILE WE WERE GETTING CONFIGURED FOR LNDG.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.