 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An A310 crew reports a TCAS RA with B727 in foreign airspace when controller language and incorrect terminology delayed the aircraft's climb.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 713799 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200610 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bns.vor |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 28500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A310 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : svzm.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : private pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer pilot : commercial pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 93.5 flight time total : 7770 flight time type : 665 |
| ASRS Report | 713799 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 400 |
| ASRS Report | 714130 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
108 NM from bns; we were cleared to FL270 from FL260. Approximately 50 NM east of bns; controller cleared us for immediate climb to FL240! I queried altitude as FL340. Controller repeated; climb to FL240. I restated 340 and he corrected himself and said cleared to FL340. Traffic appeared on TCAS opposite direction up to FL270. TCAS RA occurred as we passed FL285 for FL340. We complied with RA; had visual contact on B727. Continued climb to FL340. Controller then stated 'it was a misunderstanding!' language was contributing factor as noted by controller's direction to 'climb' from 270 to 240. Another language factor typical in foreign countries exists with local language in use versus english; making it difficult for crews to monitor and assess operations of other aircraft in the vicinity!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN A310 CREW RPTS A TCAS RA WITH B727 IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE WHEN CTLR LANGUAGE AND INCORRECT TERMINOLOGY DELAYED THE ACFT'S CLB.
Narrative: 108 NM FROM BNS; WE WERE CLRED TO FL270 FROM FL260. APPROX 50 NM E OF BNS; CTLR CLRED US FOR IMMEDIATE CLB TO FL240! I QUERIED ALT AS FL340. CTLR REPEATED; CLB TO FL240. I RESTATED 340 AND HE CORRECTED HIMSELF AND SAID CLRED TO FL340. TFC APPEARED ON TCAS OPPOSITE DIRECTION UP TO FL270. TCAS RA OCCURRED AS WE PASSED FL285 FOR FL340. WE COMPLIED WITH RA; HAD VISUAL CONTACT ON B727. CONTINUED CLB TO FL340. CTLR THEN STATED 'IT WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING!' LANGUAGE WAS CONTRIBUTING FACTOR AS NOTED BY CTLR'S DIRECTION TO 'CLB' FROM 270 TO 240. ANOTHER LANGUAGE FACTOR TYPICAL IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES EXISTS WITH LCL LANGUAGE IN USE VERSUS ENGLISH; MAKING IT DIFFICULT FOR CREWS TO MONITOR AND ASSESS OPS OF OTHER ACFT IN THE VICINITY!
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.