Flight crew confusion and non adherence to ATC instructions in foreign airspace.

Attributes
ACN	267510
Time
Date	199403
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ory
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ory
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	267510
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : clearance other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course
Consequence	other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

The french controllers are among the most difficult to understand and the ones most likely to change your last clearance and this day was no exception. After a long all night flight, me very new to the dc-10, and my first arrival in france since IOE, the STAR routing had been changed 3 times. We had been cleared to hold at epernon, 7 mi after having passed that VOR, then were cleared to proceed with 'standard approach,' then maintain a radial. Each time we attempted to clarify our clearance we were told 'proceed as cleared.' we finally asked again and again are we cleared for 'standard approach' and the answer was 'affirmative.' (after 3 controller changes in about 3-4 mins.) however, when we attempted to fly the standard approach, we were severely chastised and given numerous heading and altitude changes to vector us to the approach. Human factors: I'm new on aircraft and route. First officer and so old heads. They were sure we were cleared for standard approach, I wasn't! Rather than asking are we cleared for standard approach several times, I should have insisted that first officer simply ask what is our clearance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC CONFUSION AND NON ADHERENCE TO ATC INSTRUCTIONS IN FOREIGN AIRSPACE.

Narrative: THE FRENCH CTLRS ARE AMONG THE MOST DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND AND THE ONES MOST LIKELY TO CHANGE YOUR LAST CLRNC AND THIS DAY WAS NO EXCEPTION. AFTER A LONG ALL NIGHT FLT, ME VERY NEW TO THE DC-10, AND MY FIRST ARR IN FRANCE SINCE IOE, THE STAR ROUTING HAD BEEN CHANGED 3 TIMES. WE HAD BEEN CLRED TO HOLD AT EPERNON, 7 MI AFTER HAVING PASSED THAT VOR, THEN WERE CLRED TO PROCEED WITH 'STANDARD APCH,' THEN MAINTAIN A RADIAL. EACH TIME WE ATTEMPTED TO CLARIFY OUR CLRNC WE WERE TOLD 'PROCEED AS CLRED.' WE FINALLY ASKED AGAIN AND AGAIN ARE WE CLRED FOR 'STANDARD APCH' AND THE ANSWER WAS 'AFFIRMATIVE.' (AFTER 3 CTLR CHANGES IN ABOUT 3-4 MINS.) HOWEVER, WHEN WE ATTEMPTED TO FLY THE STANDARD APCH, WE WERE SEVERELY CHASTISED AND GIVEN NUMEROUS HDG AND ALT CHANGES TO VECTOR US TO THE APCH. HUMAN FACTORS: I'M NEW ON ACFT AND RTE. FO AND SO OLD HEADS. THEY WERE SURE WE WERE CLRED FOR STANDARD APCH, I WASN'T! RATHER THAN ASKING ARE WE CLRED FOR STANDARD APCH SEVERAL TIMES, I SHOULD HAVE INSISTED THAT FO SIMPLY ASK WHAT IS OUR CLRNC.

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.