Narrative:

We were talking to approach control after leaving positive control area VOR on the tepas arrival to runway 5R. We crossed positive control area at 14000 ft, 250 KTS, and proceeded outbound toward capri. About 10 or 15 mi out of positive control area, approach gave us a 200 degree heading to intercept the arrival south of capri with a descent to 9500 ft which we read back. This was an unusual clearance because it takes us close to the mountain range to the north of mex but we were VFR. We were passing through 9900 ft MSL and the first officer and I were just commenting on how close we were being vectored to the mountains. They instructed us to fly direct smo at 11000 ft. We immediately climbed to 11000 ft while confirming our clearance, and we finished the approach. On the ground I called the controller who told me that he had cleared us to 11200 ft and not 9500 ft. I know he did not. I asked him to protect the tape and told him I would be writing it up. Also, I would like to know why there are no MEA's on the arrival transitions for runways 5 or 23. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter has had no further follow up with mex approach control concerning the clearance. The question of MEA's on arrs was answered by reporter's company that mex doesn't include MEA's on most arrs. Reporter thinks it would be an aid to flcs in alerting them to clearance's below what should be MEA. Reporter and his first officer were commenting on how close they were being vectored to the mountains which they could see, though it was night, because of lights. The controller had cleared them to 9500 ft because reporter read it back and set it in the altitude alert. Then, when contacting the next controller and reporting their altitude, 9900 ft, they were cleared direct to smo at 11000 ft. That controller told them later, when called by telephone, that the clearance was to 11200 ft because the new crossing altitude at mateo was raised because of towers and mountains in proximity.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALTDEV. ATC FLC COM LANGUAGE BARRIER.

Narrative: WE WERE TALKING TO APCH CTL AFTER LEAVING PCA VOR ON THE TEPAS ARR TO RWY 5R. WE CROSSED PCA AT 14000 FT, 250 KTS, AND PROCEEDED OUTBOUND TOWARD CAPRI. ABOUT 10 OR 15 MI OUT OF PCA, APCH GAVE US A 200 DEG HDG TO INTERCEPT THE ARR S OF CAPRI WITH A DSCNT TO 9500 FT WHICH WE READ BACK. THIS WAS AN UNUSUAL CLRNC BECAUSE IT TAKES US CLOSE TO THE MOUNTAIN RANGE TO THE N OF MEX BUT WE WERE VFR. WE WERE PASSING THROUGH 9900 FT MSL AND THE FO AND I WERE JUST COMMENTING ON HOW CLOSE WE WERE BEING VECTORED TO THE MOUNTAINS. THEY INSTRUCTED US TO FLY DIRECT SMO AT 11000 FT. WE IMMEDIATELY CLBED TO 11000 FT WHILE CONFIRMING OUR CLRNC, AND WE FINISHED THE APCH. ON THE GND I CALLED THE CTLR WHO TOLD ME THAT HE HAD CLRED US TO 11200 FT AND NOT 9500 FT. I KNOW HE DID NOT. I ASKED HIM TO PROTECT THE TAPE AND TOLD HIM I WOULD BE WRITING IT UP. ALSO, I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THERE ARE NO MEA'S ON THE ARR TRANSITIONS FOR RWYS 5 OR 23. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR HAS HAD NO FURTHER FOLLOW UP WITH MEX APCH CTL CONCERNING THE CLRNC. THE QUESTION OF MEA'S ON ARRS WAS ANSWERED BY RPTR'S COMPANY THAT MEX DOESN'T INCLUDE MEA'S ON MOST ARRS. RPTR THINKS IT WOULD BE AN AID TO FLCS IN ALERTING THEM TO CLRNC'S BELOW WHAT SHOULD BE MEA. RPTR AND HIS FO WERE COMMENTING ON HOW CLOSE THEY WERE BEING VECTORED TO THE MOUNTAINS WHICH THEY COULD SEE, THOUGH IT WAS NIGHT, BECAUSE OF LIGHTS. THE CTLR HAD CLRED THEM TO 9500 FT BECAUSE RPTR READ IT BACK AND SET IT IN THE ALT ALERT. THEN, WHEN CONTACTING THE NEXT CTLR AND RPTING THEIR ALT, 9900 FT, THEY WERE CLRED DIRECT TO SMO AT 11000 FT. THAT CTLR TOLD THEM LATER, WHEN CALLED BY TELEPHONE, THAT THE CLRNC WAS TO 11200 FT BECAUSE THE NEW XING ALT AT MATEO WAS RAISED BECAUSE OF TWRS AND MOUNTAINS IN PROX.

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.