B767 flight crew reports being issued reports being issued a position and hold clearance by skbo tow...

Attributes
ACN	988400
Time
Date	201201
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	SKBO.Airport
State Reference	FO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Takeoff
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	Landing
Person 1
Function	First Officer Pilot Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Flight Engineer Flight Crew Multiengine Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Person 2
Function	Relief Pilot Pilot Not Flying
Qualification	Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Experience	Flight Crew Last 90 Days 44 Flight Crew Total 8900 Flight Crew Type 660
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Conflict Ground Conflict Less Severe Deviation - Procedural Clearance Ground Incursion Runway

Narrative:

The incident took place at bogotá eldorado international airport. We were on taxiway a holding short of taxiway left preparing to depart runway 31R. Tower control then issued taxi instructions 'position and hold runway 31R'. We asked the tower if they meant 'line up and wait 31R' and tower reissued 'position and hold 31R'. We then believed the tower control meant 'line up and wait'. We then taxied the aircraft into line up and wait on runway 31R. When on the runway; we noticed an aircraft on a modified base to final for runway 13L. We immediately called the tower about the approaching aircraft (approximately 4 mile final). Tower the issued a go around to the aircraft for runway 13L. The aircraft were never in danger of collision. After the go around we were allowed to depart runway 31R with out incident. It's my belief the incident was 100% caused by language barrier and non standard ATC phraseology. I believe tower meant for us to 'hold short' of runway 31R and should not have used the word 'position' in their clearance which was the old phraseology for 'position and hold'. The situational awareness was made worse by the tower in giving ATC instructions to the arriving aircraft in spanish which did not allow us to have a more clear understanding of the intentions of ATC and aircraft in the traffic pattern.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B767 flight crew reports being issued reports being issued a position and hold clearance by SKBO Tower. After double checking the crew lines up on Runway 31R and observes and aircraft turning final for Runway 13L and advises the Tower. The Tower issues a go around to the landing aircraft.

Narrative: The incident took place at Bogotá Eldorado International airport. We were on Taxiway A holding short of Taxiway L preparing to depart Runway 31R. Tower Control then issued taxi instructions 'position and hold Runway 31R'. We asked the Tower if they meant 'line up and wait 31R' and Tower reissued 'position and hold 31R'. We then believed the Tower Control meant 'line up and wait'. We then taxied the aircraft into line up and wait on Runway 31R. When on the runway; we noticed an aircraft on a modified base to final for Runway 13L. We immediately called the Tower about the approaching aircraft (approximately 4 mile final). Tower the issued a go around to the aircraft for Runway 13L. The aircraft were never in danger of collision. After the go around we were allowed to depart Runway 31R with out incident. It's my belief the incident was 100% caused by language barrier and non standard ATC phraseology. I believe Tower meant for us to 'hold short' of Runway 31R and should not have used the word 'position' in their clearance which was the old phraseology for 'position and hold'. The situational awareness was made worse by the Tower in giving ATC instructions to the arriving aircraft in Spanish which did not allow us to have a more clear understanding of the intentions of ATC and aircraft in the traffic pattern.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.

B767 flight crew reports being issued reports being issued a position and hold clearance by skbo tower. After double checking the crew lines up on runway 31R and observes and aircraft turning final for runway 13L and advises the tower. The tower issues a go around to the landing aircraft.