Narrative:

During descent after being handed off from ZMA to descend and maintain FL270, port-au-prince approach control cleared us to descend and maintain FL50. Readback was made by the captain, the PNF, as 'cleared to descend to FL50.' controller had limited english skill, but did manage an 'affirmative.' copilot initiated what I felt was a premature descent. However, I did not question his decision at this time. While descending, I noted on the map chart for haiti, a ridge of mountains with 2 peaks. One at 5300, another at 7000 ft. The controller asked us after quite a length of silence, unusual for these islands, what our level passing was. I announced passing level 8500 for FL50. Controller got emotional and claimed you are not cleared to FL50, clearance was to FL90. I announced we were leveling at FL90, but that he originally cleared us to FL50 and even acknowledge FL50 on the readback. He emphatically denied and thus, I called the haitian ATC facility after an uneventful landing. The supervisor said our controller had gone home for the day and that he would review the tapes and send me a report. In summary, I felt as a crew we could have been more diligent and challenged the controller when he issued the first clearance to FL50 since we both noted it was below MEA for our sector. I've flown over 9 yrs in the latin/central caribbean environment to know that language barriers can cause the most fatal results. In the future, I won't hesitate to challenge such liberal clrncs. 'Verify altitude cleared to is flxxx.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A WDB ACR ACFT MISUNDERSTOOD DSCNT CLRNC DUE TO A LANGUAGE PROB AND DSNDED PAST ASSIGNED ALT.

Narrative: DURING DSCNT AFTER BEING HANDED OFF FROM ZMA TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL270, PORT-AU-PRINCE APCH CTL CLRED US TO DSND AND MAINTAIN FL50. READBACK WAS MADE BY THE CAPT, THE PNF, AS 'CLRED TO DSND TO FL50.' CTLR HAD LIMITED ENGLISH SKILL, BUT DID MANAGE AN 'AFFIRMATIVE.' COPLT INITIATED WHAT I FELT WAS A PREMATURE DSCNT. HOWEVER, I DID NOT QUESTION HIS DECISION AT THIS TIME. WHILE DSNDING, I NOTED ON THE MAP CHART FOR HAITI, A RIDGE OF MOUNTAINS WITH 2 PEAKS. ONE AT 5300, ANOTHER AT 7000 FT. THE CTLR ASKED US AFTER QUITE A LENGTH OF SILENCE, UNUSUAL FOR THESE ISLANDS, WHAT OUR LEVEL PASSING WAS. I ANNOUNCED PASSING LEVEL 8500 FOR FL50. CTLR GOT EMOTIONAL AND CLAIMED YOU ARE NOT CLRED TO FL50, CLRNC WAS TO FL90. I ANNOUNCED WE WERE LEVELING AT FL90, BUT THAT HE ORIGINALLY CLRED US TO FL50 AND EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE FL50 ON THE READBACK. HE EMPHATICALLY DENIED AND THUS, I CALLED THE HAITIAN ATC FACILITY AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL LNDG. THE SUPVR SAID OUR CTLR HAD GONE HOME FOR THE DAY AND THAT HE WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES AND SEND ME A RPT. IN SUMMARY, I FELT AS A CREW WE COULD HAVE BEEN MORE DILIGENT AND CHALLENGED THE CTLR WHEN HE ISSUED THE FIRST CLRNC TO FL50 SINCE WE BOTH NOTED IT WAS BELOW MEA FOR OUR SECTOR. I'VE FLOWN OVER 9 YRS IN THE LATIN/CENTRAL CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT TO KNOW THAT LANGUAGE BARRIERS CAN CAUSE THE MOST FATAL RESULTS. IN THE FUTURE, I WON'T HESITATE TO CHALLENGE SUCH LIBERAL CLRNCS. 'VERIFY ALT CLRED TO IS FLXXX.'

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.