Narrative:

Passing abeam pjg (curacao) the first officer called caracas center (miq) to give a fir crossing time. Miq then advised us to descend to 7000 ft. Initial attempts to advise miq that we were not in their airspace yet were not successful. After the third attempt we said we would call them at the fir. When we called at the fir; they once again told us to descend to 7000 ft. We started a slow descent as we were 80 mi from top of descent. We were instructed to switch over to maiquetia approach control (miq approach). Thinking it was a bit early; we asked if the frequency change was for us. We were told again to contact approach. Initial contact with miq approach resulted in our being given a descent to 4000 ft and a turn to 115 to intercept the localizer. Feeling the controller had us confused with another aircraft; I stayed on course. The 115 degree heading would not only have us miss the localizer and airport; it would have had us miss the continent of south america. Several attempts were made to clarify if the controller knew our position. I was about to have the first officer speak in spanish. He said he thought he may have heard the phrase 'for traffic.' I did not hear the phrase but then turned to 115 degrees. While heading for africa; I had the first officer ask the controller what radial and DME he showed us on. The controller did not understand. After the fifth attempt; the controller had us identify. He then gave us an 85 degree turn to intercept the miq 290 degree radial inbound. Call it a hunch; but I believe the controllers can speak english; but may not necessarily understand english. They may know procedures; but do not necessarily implement them.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A300-600 CAPTAIN RELATES LANGUAGE BARRIER PROBLEMS WITH SVZM CONTROL.

Narrative: PASSING ABEAM PJG (CURACAO) THE FO CALLED CARACAS CTR (MIQ) TO GIVE A FIR XING TIME. MIQ THEN ADVISED US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. INITIAL ATTEMPTS TO ADVISE MIQ THAT WE WERE NOT IN THEIR AIRSPACE YET WERE NOT SUCCESSFUL. AFTER THE THIRD ATTEMPT WE SAID WE WOULD CALL THEM AT THE FIR. WHEN WE CALLED AT THE FIR; THEY ONCE AGAIN TOLD US TO DSND TO 7000 FT. WE STARTED A SLOW DSCNT AS WE WERE 80 MI FROM TOP OF DSCNT. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO SWITCH OVER TO MAIQUETIA APCH CTL (MIQ APCH). THINKING IT WAS A BIT EARLY; WE ASKED IF THE FREQ CHANGE WAS FOR US. WE WERE TOLD AGAIN TO CONTACT APCH. INITIAL CONTACT WITH MIQ APCH RESULTED IN OUR BEING GIVEN A DSCNT TO 4000 FT AND A TURN TO 115 TO INTERCEPT THE LOC. FEELING THE CTLR HAD US CONFUSED WITH ANOTHER ACFT; I STAYED ON COURSE. THE 115 DEG HDG WOULD NOT ONLY HAVE US MISS THE LOC AND ARPT; IT WOULD HAVE HAD US MISS THE CONTINENT OF SOUTH AMERICA. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO CLARIFY IF THE CTLR KNEW OUR POS. I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE THE FO SPEAK IN SPANISH. HE SAID HE THOUGHT HE MAY HAVE HEARD THE PHRASE 'FOR TFC.' I DID NOT HEAR THE PHRASE BUT THEN TURNED TO 115 DEGS. WHILE HEADING FOR AFRICA; I HAD THE FO ASK THE CTLR WHAT RADIAL AND DME HE SHOWED US ON. THE CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND. AFTER THE FIFTH ATTEMPT; THE CTLR HAD US IDENT. HE THEN GAVE US AN 85 DEG TURN TO INTERCEPT THE MIQ 290 DEG RADIAL INBOUND. CALL IT A HUNCH; BUT I BELIEVE THE CTLRS CAN SPEAK ENGLISH; BUT MAY NOT NECESSARILY UNDERSTAND ENGLISH. THEY MAY KNOW PROCS; BUT DO NOT NECESSARILY IMPLEMENT THEM.

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.