Language barrier contributed to runway incursion. 2 pilots heard or reported different clearance.

Attributes
ACN	272556
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : muc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B767-300 and 300 ER
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	ground : holding ground other : taxi
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing : go around
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 12000
ASRS Report	272556
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : commercial pilot : flight engineer pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 5000 flight time type : 1400
ASRS Report	272217
Events
Anomaly	incursion : runway non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While taxiing to 8L at muc, we received instructions 'cleared to hold position' from the tower. This instruction was interpreted as 'cleared to position and hold' and read back accordingly. There was no response from the tower. Just prior to taking the runway, an aircraft was observed on final. It seemed as if there would be adequate separation, but we stopped to confirm our clearance just as the tower told us to hold our position. We had penetrated the runway area far enough that the approaching aircraft was given a missed approach. This incident would never have evolved if standard verbiage were used worldwide. Supplemental information from acn 272217: as we approached runway 8L she said what I heard as 'line up and hold runway 8L.' the word 'line up' was garbled. I replied to the ground controller 'position and hold, runway 8L.' we passed the hold short line and just prior to entering the runway ground said 'hold your position.' the biggest factor in events such as this is non-standard phraseology. Each country has it's own phraseology and combined with the many languages and accents makes it a very dangerous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LANGUAGE BARRIER CONTRIBUTED TO RWY INCURSION. 2 PLTS HEARD OR RPTED DIFFERENT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE TAXIING TO 8L AT MUC, WE RECEIVED INSTRUCTIONS 'CLRED TO HOLD POS' FROM THE TWR. THIS INSTRUCTION WAS INTERPRETED AS 'CLRED TO POS AND HOLD' AND READ BACK ACCORDINGLY. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE FROM THE TWR. JUST PRIOR TO TAKING THE RWY, AN ACFT WAS OBSERVED ON FINAL. IT SEEMED AS IF THERE WOULD BE ADEQUATE SEPARATION, BUT WE STOPPED TO CONFIRM OUR CLRNC JUST AS THE TWR TOLD US TO HOLD OUR POS. WE HAD PENETRATED THE RWY AREA FAR ENOUGH THAT THE APCHING ACFT WAS GIVEN A MISSED APCH. THIS INCIDENT WOULD NEVER HAVE EVOLVED IF STANDARD VERBIAGE WERE USED WORLDWIDE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 272217: AS WE APCHED RWY 8L SHE SAID WHAT I HEARD AS 'LINE UP AND HOLD RWY 8L.' THE WORD 'LINE UP' WAS GARBLED. I REPLIED TO THE GND CTLR 'POS AND HOLD, RWY 8L.' WE PASSED THE HOLD SHORT LINE AND JUST PRIOR TO ENTERING THE RWY GND SAID 'HOLD YOUR POS.' THE BIGGEST FACTOR IN EVENTS SUCH AS THIS IS NON-STANDARD PHRASEOLOGY. EACH COUNTRY HAS IT'S OWN PHRASEOLOGY AND COMBINED WITH THE MANY LANGUAGES AND ACCENTS MAKES IT A VERY DANGEROUS SIT.

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.