Narrative:

The ferry flight originated from dubai uae en route to luxor egypt (helx). Initial contact with luxor tower was very difficult to understand. The tower controller's english was difficult to understand. I understood from the transmission that the wind was from the north at 10-15 KTS. The tower then advised me to report final. I began to set up for a right downwind for 02R. I reported entering right downwind for 02 and was advised to call tower on final for the left. I questioned the tower several times to confirm the left runway. On final, I reported final for the left and was advised by the tower to continue approach. I landed on runway 02L without further clearance from the tower. After landing and refueling, I called for start clearance for the next leg of the ferry flight. At that tie, I was advised that the tower wanted to talk to me in person. I was then informed that I had landed on runway 02L and the active runway was 20L. This incident took place to a large degree because of the lack of communication between myself and the tower. Neither party completely understood the other's xmissions and therefore, made assumptions. I knew the wind was out of the north and therefore, concentrated on the rest of the tower instructions, believing he was saying runway 02L. He may also have assumed I was saying 20L. The confusion was also compounded by the similarity in sound of runway 02 and runway 20. At the time of this incident there was no other traffic in the luxor air traffic area and therefore there was no traffic conflict.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT TURBOPROP PLT FLYING INTO LUXOR EGYPT LANDED ON WRONG RWY DUE TO MISUNDERSTANDING ARISING FROM A LANGUAGE PROBLEM.

Narrative: THE FERRY FLT ORIGINATED FROM DUBAI UAE ENRTE TO LUXOR EGYPT (HELX). INITIAL CONTACT WITH LUXOR TWR WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. THE TWR CTLR'S ENGLISH WAS DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND. I UNDERSTOOD FROM THE XMISSION THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE N AT 10-15 KTS. THE TWR THEN ADVISED ME TO REPORT FINAL. I BEGAN TO SET UP FOR A RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR 02R. I REPORTED ENTERING RIGHT DOWNWIND FOR 02 AND WAS ADVISED TO CALL TWR ON FINAL FOR THE LEFT. I QUESTIONED THE TWR SEVERAL TIMES TO CONFIRM THE LEFT RWY. ON FINAL, I REPORTED FINAL FOR THE LEFT AND WAS ADVISED BY THE TWR TO CONTINUE APCH. I LANDED ON RWY 02L WITHOUT FURTHER CLRNC FROM THE TWR. AFTER LNDG AND REFUELING, I CALLED FOR START CLRNC FOR THE NEXT LEG OF THE FERRY FLT. AT THAT TIE, I WAS ADVISED THAT THE TWR WANTED TO TALK TO ME IN PERSON. I WAS THEN INFORMED THAT I HAD LANDED ON RWY 02L AND THE ACTIVE RWY WAS 20L. THIS INCIDENT TOOK PLACE TO A LARGE DEGREE BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF COM BETWEEN MYSELF AND THE TWR. NEITHER PARTY COMPLETELY UNDERSTOOD THE OTHER'S XMISSIONS AND THEREFORE, MADE ASSUMPTIONS. I KNEW THE WIND WAS OUT OF THE N AND THEREFORE, CONCENTRATED ON THE REST OF THE TWR INSTRUCTIONS, BELIEVING HE WAS SAYING RWY 02L. HE MAY ALSO HAVE ASSUMED I WAS SAYING 20L. THE CONFUSION WAS ALSO COMPOUNDED BY THE SIMILARITY IN SOUND OF RWY 02 AND RWY 20. AT THE TIME OF THIS INCIDENT THERE WAS NO OTHER TFC IN THE LUXOR ATA AND THEREFORE THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.