Narrative:

Bimini high was working air carrier X into miami. The controller stopped the aircraft's descent at FL260 for traffic at FL250. Bimini low accepted the handoff from high. Bimini high was having frequency problems, like xmissions not being responded to. The aircraft was found on bimini low after a radio check. I said, 'X maintain FL260, expect lower after passing traffic, traffic 10 O'clock 15 mi northbound. P3 at FL250.' I heard, 'roger, X 250.' the tape recorded, 'roger, X, maintaining FL250.' I wrongfully assumed the pilot was rogering the traffic at 250. I noticed the incorrect altitude and issued a vector to avoid the traffic. Separation between the 2 aircraft was 4.2 mi and zero ft. In area 4 at ZMA we have had a constant problem with the language barrier with foreign pilots. I feel that this incident would have not occurred if strict regulations were in place to ensure comprehension of the air traffic universal language.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FOREIGN ACR X UNAUTH DSCNT TO OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM MIL P3. PLTDEV. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: BIMINI HIGH WAS WORKING ACR X INTO MIAMI. THE CTLR STOPPED THE ACFT'S DSCNT AT FL260 FOR TFC AT FL250. BIMINI LOW ACCEPTED THE HDOF FROM HIGH. BIMINI HIGH WAS HAVING FREQ PROBS, LIKE XMISSIONS NOT BEING RESPONDED TO. THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON BIMINI LOW AFTER A RADIO CHK. I SAID, 'X MAINTAIN FL260, EXPECT LOWER AFTER PASSING TFC, TFC 10 O'CLOCK 15 MI NBOUND. P3 AT FL250.' I HEARD, 'ROGER, X 250.' THE TAPE RECORDED, 'ROGER, X, MAINTAINING FL250.' I WRONGFULLY ASSUMED THE PLT WAS ROGERING THE TFC AT 250. I NOTICED THE INCORRECT ALT AND ISSUED A VECTOR TO AVOID THE TFC. SEPARATION BTWN THE 2 ACFT WAS 4.2 MI AND ZERO FT. IN AREA 4 AT ZMA WE HAVE HAD A CONSTANT PROB WITH THE LANGUAGE BARRIER WITH FOREIGN PLTS. I FEEL THAT THIS INCIDENT WOULD HAVE NOT OCCURRED IF STRICT REGS WERE IN PLACE TO ENSURE COMPREHENSION OF THE AIR TFC UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE.

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.