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Altitude excursion caused in good part by language differences. This created a traffic conflict where another airliner took evasive action.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 302310 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199504 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tio |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 18000 msl bound upper : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : mhtg |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 140 flight time total : 13000 flight time type : 8000 |
| ASRS Report | 302310 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 36000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Flying from san pedro de zula (honduras) to san jose (costa rica) we were clear from el coco approach to descend to FL190 with a qnh 29.96 and in radar contact. When we reported leveloff at FL190, ATC reports that we have traffic climbing to FL180. In that event we were flying IMC, in a thunderstorm with rain and severe turbulence. I was flying the aircraft and the first officer on the radio understood that we were clear to FL180. So did I. The flight engineer also heard that the same way, because we were 3-MAN crew. So we reported and descended from FL190 to FL180 and we didn't have a readback from ATC. As soon as we leveled off at FL180 we reported to ATC, and he told us that we were not cleared to that altitude, so climbed immediately to FL190. The traffic, that was an air carrier airline, reported by his TCASII that he has traffic, the same altitude , at 6 mi from him. So, he reported an evasive action, making a right turn. I think this was a misunderstanding between ATC and us because when we reported leaving FL190 to FL180 we did not have a readback of the report. As soon as we were on the ground we went to the traffic control office to hear the recording from ATC and talking to the controller, he said that when we reported leaving FL190 to FL180 he thought that we were reading back the traffic information, climbing to FL180. Flying a lot of time in central and south america, I experience that ATC controllers don't have fluent talking and understanding of the english language, as the way has to be considering that english is the universal and international language in aviation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ALT EXCURSION CAUSED IN GOOD PART BY LANGUAGE DIFFERENCES. THIS CREATED A TFC CONFLICT WHERE ANOTHER AIRLINER TOOK EVASIVE ACTION.
Narrative: FLYING FROM SAN PEDRO DE ZULA (HONDURAS) TO SAN JOSE (COSTA RICA) WE WERE CLR FROM EL COCO APCH TO DSND TO FL190 WITH A QNH 29.96 AND IN RADAR CONTACT. WHEN WE RPTED LEVELOFF AT FL190, ATC RPTS THAT WE HAVE TFC CLBING TO FL180. IN THAT EVENT WE WERE FLYING IMC, IN A TSTM WITH RAIN AND SEVERE TURB. I WAS FLYING THE ACFT AND THE FO ON THE RADIO UNDERSTOOD THAT WE WERE CLR TO FL180. SO DID I. THE FE ALSO HEARD THAT THE SAME WAY, BECAUSE WE WERE 3-MAN CREW. SO WE RPTED AND DSNDED FROM FL190 TO FL180 AND WE DIDN'T HAVE A READBACK FROM ATC. AS SOON AS WE LEVELED OFF AT FL180 WE RPTED TO ATC, AND HE TOLD US THAT WE WERE NOT CLRED TO THAT ALT, SO CLBED IMMEDIATELY TO FL190. THE TFC, THAT WAS AN ACR AIRLINE, RPTED BY HIS TCASII THAT HE HAS TFC, THE SAME ALT , AT 6 MI FROM HIM. SO, HE RPTED AN EVASIVE ACTION, MAKING A R TURN. I THINK THIS WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING BTWN ATC AND US BECAUSE WHEN WE RPTED LEAVING FL190 TO FL180 WE DID NOT HAVE A READBACK OF THE RPT. AS SOON AS WE WERE ON THE GND WE WENT TO THE TFC CTL OFFICE TO HEAR THE RECORDING FROM ATC AND TALKING TO THE CTLR, HE SAID THAT WHEN WE RPTED LEAVING FL190 TO FL180 HE THOUGHT THAT WE WERE READING BACK THE TFC INFO, CLBING TO FL180. FLYING A LOT OF TIME IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA, I EXPERIENCE THAT ATC CTLRS DON'T HAVE FLUENT TALKING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, AS THE WAY HAS TO BE CONSIDERING THAT ENGLISH IS THE UNIVERSAL AND INTL LANGUAGE IN AVIATION.
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.