An air carrier crew operating at mmlo did not understand the heavy spanish language accent and enter...

Narrative:

When leaving the gate at mmlo; I (the first officer/flying pilot) contacted ATC (tower and ground) requesting taxi clearance to runway 31. ATC responded with taxi to runway 31; cleared to enter runway 31; taxi via B; and my response was taxi to runway 31; cleared to back taxi; taxi via bravo. My response was unchallenged by ATC. We taxied the aircraft via bravo then cleared left and right of approaching aircraft then entered the runway and began to back taxi at which point ATC then informed us to 'hold short'. Due to the fact we were already back taxiing on the runway I replied 'unable' and that we were 'on the runway'. ATC instructed us to make 180; exit the runway; and to expedite. We complied and was clear of the runway within 20 seconds or less; then informed ATC that we were clear. We were then instructed to taxi via bravo then alpha to runway 31 and hold short; which we complied with. During our taxi; we at that point; then saw an aircraft (lear jet) on approach to runway 13 on an approximately 1-2 mile final. The aircraft landed with no incident at which point we were cleared to enter the runway and back taxi runway 31. Upon reaching the end of the runway we contacted ATC 'ready for departure runway 31' and ATC immediately cleared us for takeoff. The remainder of the flight occurred with no anomalies. The three factors that contributed to the event occurring was first the ATC controller's non-standard phraseology. His instructions to enter the runway were ambiguous and his unchallenged response to our read back was the first contributing factor. Second was the controllers very poor english; which was difficult to understand. Lastly and most disorienting was the controllers communications with the approaching aircraft. All communication between that aircraft and ATC were in spanish. This gave us no situational awareness of that approaching aircraft. In my opinion the event could have been avoided and from recurring if the controller used english for all communications; and used standard phraseology. Also the crew could have requested clearance to enter the runway regardless of the previous clearance because of the operations in a region with difficult communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: An air carrier crew operating at MMLO did not understand the heavy Spanish language accent and entered an active runway with landing traffic nearby. The crew exited the runway safely.

Narrative: When leaving the gate at MMLO; I (the First Officer/flying pilot) contacted ATC (tower and ground) requesting taxi clearance to Runway 31. ATC responded with Taxi to Runway 31; cleared to enter Runway 31; taxi via B; and my response was taxi to Runway 31; cleared to back taxi; taxi via bravo. My response was unchallenged by ATC. We taxied the aircraft via bravo then cleared left and right of approaching aircraft then entered the runway and began to back taxi at which point ATC then informed us to 'Hold Short'. Due to the fact we were already back taxiing on the runway I replied 'unable' and that we were 'on the runway'. ATC instructed us to make 180; exit the runway; and to expedite. We complied and was clear of the runway within 20 seconds or less; then informed ATC that we were clear. We were then instructed to taxi via bravo then alpha to Runway 31 and hold short; which we complied with. During our taxi; we at that point; then saw an aircraft (lear jet) on approach to Runway 13 on an approximately 1-2 mile final. The aircraft landed with no incident at which point we were cleared to enter the runway and back taxi Runway 31. Upon reaching the end of the runway we contacted ATC 'ready for departure Runway 31' and ATC immediately cleared us for takeoff. The remainder of the flight occurred with no anomalies. The three factors that contributed to the event occurring was first the ATC controller's non-standard phraseology. His instructions to enter the runway were ambiguous and his unchallenged response to our read back was the first contributing factor. Second was the controllers very poor English; which was difficult to understand. Lastly and most disorienting was the controllers communications with the approaching aircraft. All communication between that aircraft and ATC were in Spanish. This gave us no situational awareness of that approaching aircraft. In my opinion the event could have been avoided and from recurring if the controller used English for all communications; and used standard phraseology. Also the crew could have requested clearance to enter the runway regardless of the previous clearance because of the operations in a region with difficult communications.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	835966
Time
Date	200905
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	MMLO.Airport
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Events
Anomaly	Conflict Ground Conflict Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Ground Incursion Runway

An air carrier crew operating at mmlo did not understand the heavy spanish language accent and entered an active runway with landing traffic nearby. The crew exited the runway safely.