Narrative:

Cleared for the VMB12A arrival into shanghai. We had been cleared to 4800 M after leveling at 4800 M we were slowed to 250 KTS. (Approximately 60 mi from airport) we were cleared fly the VMB12A arrival.' we asked ATC if we were to follow altitudes on the arrival. ATC response no altitude restrs.' we intrepid that to mean we should follow the hard altitudes depicted on the arrival plate. We began descent to 2900 M (7880 ft). At 4200 M ATC instructed an immediate turn to 080 degree and stop descent. We leveled at 4200 M and on heading 080 degrees. We idented traffic at 2 O'clock position; approximately 4 mi and slightly lower; visually and on TCAS. There were no TA or PA but TCAS had highlighted the target. ATC asked why we had descended and we replied that we were following the arrival; including the hard altitudes as depicted. His response was no; I give you descent.' we landed without further incident. Language differences are at the heart of this incident. We did not phrase our question in ICAO english; and the controller did not understand what we were asking. His reply was ambiguous and we thought we had a good answer. Due to frequency congestion; we did not announce an altitude change; and that also contributed to the incident. (The controller's english was excellent; with little accent. However; his vocabulary was limited to ICAO phraseology; and we did not phrase our question within ICAO phraseology. I'm still not sure just what phrase could have been ICAO standard.) in post flight discussion with ATC; the tower chief told the captain that the altitudes on the arrival plate were for FMS only. We understood that statement to mean for planning only. There were no notes on the arrival plate to indicate this. All altitudes were depicted as hard altitudes and there was no note 'altitudes to be assigned by ATC.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANGUAGE BARRIER WITH ZSPD CONTROL LEADS MD11 FLT CREW TO FOLLOW ALTS AS SHOWN ON THE VMB STAR VICE AWAITING CLRNC TO LOWER ALTS. SEPARATION PROBLEM RESULTS.

Narrative: CLRED FOR THE VMB12A ARR INTO SHANGHAI. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO 4800 M AFTER LEVELING AT 4800 M WE WERE SLOWED TO 250 KTS. (APPROX 60 MI FROM ARPT) WE WERE CLRED FLY THE VMB12A ARR.' WE ASKED ATC IF WE WERE TO FOLLOW ALTS ON THE ARR. ATC RESPONSE NO ALT RESTRS.' WE INTREPID THAT TO MEAN WE SHOULD FOLLOW THE HARD ALTS DEPICTED ON THE ARR PLATE. WE BEGAN DSCNT TO 2900 M (7880 FT). AT 4200 M ATC INSTRUCTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN TO 080 DEG AND STOP DSCNT. WE LEVELED AT 4200 M AND ON HDG 080 DEGS. WE IDENTED TFC AT 2 O'CLOCK POS; APPROX 4 MI AND SLIGHTLY LOWER; VISUALLY AND ON TCAS. THERE WERE NO TA OR PA BUT TCAS HAD HIGHLIGHTED THE TARGET. ATC ASKED WHY WE HAD DSNDED AND WE REPLIED THAT WE WERE FOLLOWING THE ARR; INCLUDING THE HARD ALTS AS DEPICTED. HIS RESPONSE WAS NO; I GIVE YOU DSCNT.' WE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES ARE AT THE HEART OF THIS INCIDENT. WE DID NOT PHRASE OUR QUESTION IN ICAO ENGLISH; AND THE CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT WE WERE ASKING. HIS REPLY WAS AMBIGUOUS AND WE THOUGHT WE HAD A GOOD ANSWER. DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION; WE DID NOT ANNOUNCE AN ALT CHANGE; AND THAT ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE INCIDENT. (THE CTLR'S ENGLISH WAS EXCELLENT; WITH LITTLE ACCENT. HOWEVER; HIS VOCABULARY WAS LIMITED TO ICAO PHRASEOLOGY; AND WE DID NOT PHRASE OUR QUESTION WITHIN ICAO PHRASEOLOGY. I'M STILL NOT SURE JUST WHAT PHRASE COULD HAVE BEEN ICAO STANDARD.) IN POST FLT DISCUSSION WITH ATC; THE TWR CHIEF TOLD THE CAPT THAT THE ALTS ON THE ARR PLATE WERE FOR FMS ONLY. WE UNDERSTOOD THAT STATEMENT TO MEAN FOR PLANNING ONLY. THERE WERE NO NOTES ON THE ARR PLATE TO INDICATE THIS. ALL ALTS WERE DEPICTED AS HARD ALTS AND THERE WAS NO NOTE 'ALTS TO BE ASSIGNED BY ATC.'

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.