Narrative:

I was acting as sic/first officer (PF) on a scheduled part 135 turboprop operation between freeport, bahamas, and fort lauderdale, fl, at the time of the occurrence. We were behind schedule due to a wait in receiving our clearance because of an ATC slowdown in the bahamas. After receiving our clearance we were cleared for takeoff and cleared to 6000'. During climb out after contacting freeport approach we were told to report level 7000'. Upon leveling at 7000' we were instructed to contact miami center which is a radar facility. Freeport is nonradar. We checked in with miami at level 7000' when everything seemed alright. Approximately 1 min later miami asked us our altitude which we again said was level 7000'. Miami then returned and said we should be level 6000'. We were told to descend to 6000' and we told miami what freeport had said. If the conditions were IMC and there was traffic at 7000' with miami this could have proved disastrous. To prevent this in the future I should query a controller in a nonradar environment if given an altitude different than flight planned and usual for that flight. Supplemental information from acn 139917. In general all communications with freeport at (approach, tower, ground) are marginal at best. Controllers are difficult to understand, they use nonstandard phraseology, and the quality of radio transmissions is poor. Having operated in and out of the bahamas for the past 14 yrs I am well aware of the problems that exist there. Extra vigilance is required at all times when operating in the area.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ENTERED ADJACENT FAC AIRSPAC AT AN UNCOORD ALT.

Narrative: I WAS ACTING AS SIC/F/O (PF) ON A SCHEDULED PART 135 TURBOPROP OPERATION BTWN FREEPORT, BAHAMAS, AND FORT LAUDERDALE, FL, AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURRENCE. WE WERE BEHIND SCHEDULE DUE TO A WAIT IN RECEIVING OUR CLRNC BECAUSE OF AN ATC SLOWDOWN IN THE BAHAMAS. AFTER RECEIVING OUR CLRNC WE WERE CLRED FOR TKOF AND CLRED TO 6000'. DURING CLBOUT AFTER CONTACTING FREEPORT APCH WE WERE TOLD TO RPT LEVEL 7000'. UPON LEVELING AT 7000' WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO CONTACT MIAMI CENTER WHICH IS A RADAR FAC. FREEPORT IS NONRADAR. WE CHKED IN WITH MIAMI AT LEVEL 7000' WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMED ALRIGHT. APPROX 1 MIN LATER MIAMI ASKED US OUR ALT WHICH WE AGAIN SAID WAS LEVEL 7000'. MIAMI THEN RETURNED AND SAID WE SHOULD BE LEVEL 6000'. WE WERE TOLD TO DSND TO 6000' AND WE TOLD MIAMI WHAT FREEPORT HAD SAID. IF THE CONDITIONS WERE IMC AND THERE WAS TFC AT 7000' WITH MIAMI THIS COULD HAVE PROVED DISASTROUS. TO PREVENT THIS IN THE FUTURE I SHOULD QUERY A CTLR IN A NONRADAR ENVIRONMENT IF GIVEN AN ALT DIFFERENT THAN FLT PLANNED AND USUAL FOR THAT FLT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 139917. IN GENERAL ALL COMS WITH FREEPORT AT (APCH, TWR, GND) ARE MARGINAL AT BEST. CTLRS ARE DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND, THEY USE NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY, AND THE QUALITY OF RADIO TRANSMISSIONS IS POOR. HAVING OPERATED IN AND OUT OF THE BAHAMAS FOR THE PAST 14 YRS I AM WELL AWARE OF THE PROBS THAT EXIST THERE. EXTRA VIGILANCE IS REQUIRED AT ALL TIMES WHEN OPERATING IN THE AREA.

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