Narrative:

Departed skcl (cali; columbia). We were routed PALMA3 departure ujc W3 to skrg (medellin columbia). The FELIX3 arrival fit this routing best and we kept the plate available. Skrg arrival (121.1) cleared us direct the rng (rio negro) VOR and to cross at 10000 ft. He then also cleared us for the ILS approach. During descent it occurred to me that high terrain would possibly exist in between our present position and rng. Our course was approximately that of the FELIX3 arrival (this was the most restrictive arrival). I utilized that arrival to keep clear of terrain as a direct unimpeded descent would have us possibly flying into terrain. We arrived at rng at 10000 ft mostly in VMC conditions. We performed the charted procedure on the ILS-Y runway 36 approach plate. During our turn we noted that terrain was a little closer than would be expected. Quickly reviewing the plate we found that we should have been at 12000 ft outbound on the procedure turn. We climbed back up to 12000 ft and continued with the approach and landed without incident. Upon landing we were chastised by tower that we did not complete the approach procedure properly -- and they referred us to the matrola arrival. This arrival is close and similar to the FELIX3 with the FELIX3 being more restrictive. In both these cases the approach ends at 10000 ft. Both of these arrs come in from the south for runway 36. The problem; point of confusion and dilemma is that a dark lined oval procedure turn is shown on the approach plate. There is no indication that this procedure turn would not be used with a northbound straight in approach for runway 36. There was an unresolved conversation with tower personnel regarding this entire issue. I informed them that we had been cleared to cross rng VOR at 10000 ft. It was unclr if this meant when procedure turn inbound or when initially reaching rng VOR. Factoring in that the 2 applicable arrival end at rng VOR at 10000 ft this would imply that no procedure turn is required for a straight-in approach for runway. This is a very dubious situation with very dangerous consequences. The ILS-Y runway 36 commercial approach plate should be modified to show 'no pt' for straight in northbound approachs. This should alleviate any doubt as to how the approach should be flown. Being that we were cleared direct to rng VOR this removes us from the protection that either of the arrs would have afforded us in spite that the direct from present position was very close to the arrival. We utilized extreme caution at all times. Until further clarification becomes available subsequent approachs will be performed crossing rng VOR initially at 12000 ft and flying the procedure turn. Some of the factors involved in this incident are that we were fatigued after making an initial arrival and missed approach at skrg. We diverted to skcl and had to wait a protracted amount of time for the WX to lift and to address a myriad of logistical issues. We do not have a formal training program for our company's operations into south america. This was my first time operating in columbia. There are also the ever present communication difficulties. We should have refused the direct to rng clearance and insisted on staying on the arrival though we still would have had to deal with the quandary of the procedure turn. It would be helpful if there was some guide available that would help in deciphering the approach plate procedures/nomenclature and differences from united states domestic charting procedures for operations in/out of south america and other parts of the world for that matter. I will be consulting the chart company in an effort to find more information.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A FLIGHT INTO SKRG DEVIATED FROM THE CHARTED APPROACH PROCEDURE; CROSSING RNG AT 10000 FT VICE 12000 FT.

Narrative: DEPARTED SKCL (CALI; COLUMBIA). WE WERE ROUTED PALMA3 DEP UJC W3 TO SKRG (MEDELLIN COLUMBIA). THE FELIX3 ARR FIT THIS ROUTING BEST AND WE KEPT THE PLATE AVAILABLE. SKRG ARR (121.1) CLRED US DIRECT THE RNG (RIO NEGRO) VOR AND TO CROSS AT 10000 FT. HE THEN ALSO CLRED US FOR THE ILS APCH. DURING DSCNT IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT HIGH TERRAIN WOULD POSSIBLY EXIST IN BETWEEN OUR PRESENT POS AND RNG. OUR COURSE WAS APPROX THAT OF THE FELIX3 ARR (THIS WAS THE MOST RESTRICTIVE ARR). I UTILIZED THAT ARR TO KEEP CLR OF TERRAIN AS A DIRECT UNIMPEDED DSCNT WOULD HAVE US POSSIBLY FLYING INTO TERRAIN. WE ARRIVED AT RNG AT 10000 FT MOSTLY IN VMC CONDITIONS. WE PERFORMED THE CHARTED PROC ON THE ILS-Y RWY 36 APCH PLATE. DURING OUR TURN WE NOTED THAT TERRAIN WAS A LITTLE CLOSER THAN WOULD BE EXPECTED. QUICKLY REVIEWING THE PLATE WE FOUND THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 12000 FT OUTBOUND ON THE PROC TURN. WE CLBED BACK UP TO 12000 FT AND CONTINUED WITH THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON LNDG WE WERE CHASTISED BY TWR THAT WE DID NOT COMPLETE THE APCH PROC PROPERLY -- AND THEY REFERRED US TO THE MATROLA ARR. THIS ARR IS CLOSE AND SIMILAR TO THE FELIX3 WITH THE FELIX3 BEING MORE RESTRICTIVE. IN BOTH THESE CASES THE APCH ENDS AT 10000 FT. BOTH OF THESE ARRS COME IN FROM THE S FOR RWY 36. THE PROB; POINT OF CONFUSION AND DILEMMA IS THAT A DARK LINED OVAL PROC TURN IS SHOWN ON THE APCH PLATE. THERE IS NO INDICATION THAT THIS PROC TURN WOULD NOT BE USED WITH A NBOUND STRAIGHT IN APCH FOR RWY 36. THERE WAS AN UNRESOLVED CONVERSATION WITH TWR PERSONNEL REGARDING THIS ENTIRE ISSUE. I INFORMED THEM THAT WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO CROSS RNG VOR AT 10000 FT. IT WAS UNCLR IF THIS MEANT WHEN PROC TURN INBOUND OR WHEN INITIALLY REACHING RNG VOR. FACTORING IN THAT THE 2 APPLICABLE ARR END AT RNG VOR AT 10000 FT THIS WOULD IMPLY THAT NO PROC TURN IS REQUIRED FOR A STRAIGHT-IN APCH FOR RWY. THIS IS A VERY DUBIOUS SITUATION WITH VERY DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES. THE ILS-Y RWY 36 COMMERCIAL APCH PLATE SHOULD BE MODIFIED TO SHOW 'NO PT' FOR STRAIGHT IN NBOUND APCHS. THIS SHOULD ALLEVIATE ANY DOUBT AS TO HOW THE APCH SHOULD BE FLOWN. BEING THAT WE WERE CLRED DIRECT TO RNG VOR THIS REMOVES US FROM THE PROTECTION THAT EITHER OF THE ARRS WOULD HAVE AFFORDED US IN SPITE THAT THE DIRECT FROM PRESENT POS WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE ARR. WE UTILIZED EXTREME CAUTION AT ALL TIMES. UNTIL FURTHER CLARIFICATION BECOMES AVAILABLE SUBSEQUENT APCHS WILL BE PERFORMED XING RNG VOR INITIALLY AT 12000 FT AND FLYING THE PROC TURN. SOME OF THE FACTORS INVOLVED IN THIS INCIDENT ARE THAT WE WERE FATIGUED AFTER MAKING AN INITIAL ARR AND MISSED APCH AT SKRG. WE DIVERTED TO SKCL AND HAD TO WAIT A PROTRACTED AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE WX TO LIFT AND TO ADDRESS A MYRIAD OF LOGISTICAL ISSUES. WE DO NOT HAVE A FORMAL TRAINING PROGRAM FOR OUR COMPANY'S OPS INTO SOUTH AMERICA. THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME OPERATING IN COLUMBIA. THERE ARE ALSO THE EVER PRESENT COM DIFFICULTIES. WE SHOULD HAVE REFUSED THE DIRECT TO RNG CLRNC AND INSISTED ON STAYING ON THE ARR THOUGH WE STILL WOULD HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH THE QUANDARY OF THE PROC TURN. IT WOULD BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS SOME GUIDE AVAILABLE THAT WOULD HELP IN DECIPHERING THE APCH PLATE PROCS/NOMENCLATURE AND DIFFERENCES FROM UNITED STATES DOMESTIC CHARTING PROCS FOR OPS IN/OUT OF SOUTH AMERICA AND OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD FOR THAT MATTER. I WILL BE CONSULTING THE CHART COMPANY IN AN EFFORT TO FIND MORE INFO.

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.