Narrative:

Inbound to the los cabos airport, tower cleared us for a VOR DME approach to runway 16. Over the VOR, we turned to a heading to intercept the outbound course. I reported airport in sight for a visual to the tower and was cleared for a visual approach with the last part of his transmission not understandable to us. I acknowledged cleared to land to the tower while continuing the downwind leg to lose altitude. At that time, tower started talking to another airplane in spanish. We were never informed of traffic in the area. I asked tower to say again his last transmission, and again we couldn't understand the last part of his transmission. We turned base leg and I asked tower if we were cleared to land and tower said, 'how do you read me?' the first officer then asked for landing clearance and tower said, 'negative.' I was confused at this time because the runway was clear. Again, tower started talking to another airplane in spanish. Tower then cleared us to land and stated, 'I have the report.' I then said to the first officer 'I think that tower wanted us to extend our downwind leg.' we landed, made a 180 degree turn at the end of the runway and started taxiing to the ramp when tower instructed us to expedite taxi with no reason given. Before I turned off the runway, I could see a single engine cessna attempting to land on runway 16. Tower then stated, 'see what you've done, that's the second go around for that airplane.' I called the tower from operation to clarify what was going on. The controller didn't want to listen to me. He said we never acknowledged his xmissions and that he had it on the tapes. He also stated that I'm required to understand all of his xmissions according to the regulations. I felt further conversation with him wouldn't resolve this issue.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ACR MLG HAD TROUBLE WITH MULTIPLE LANGUAGES AND UNDERSTANDING CTLR AT SJD.

Narrative: INBOUND TO THE LOS CABOS ARPT, TWR CLRED US FOR A VOR DME APCH TO RWY 16. OVER THE VOR, WE TURNED TO A HDG TO INTERCEPT THE OUTBOUND COURSE. I RPTED ARPT IN SIGHT FOR A VISUAL TO THE TWR AND WAS CLRED FOR A VISUAL APCH WITH THE LAST PART OF HIS XMISSION NOT UNDERSTANDABLE TO US. I ACKNOWLEDGED CLRED TO LAND TO THE TWR WHILE CONTINUING THE DOWNWIND LEG TO LOSE ALT. AT THAT TIME, TWR STARTED TALKING TO ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN SPANISH. WE WERE NEVER INFORMED OF TFC IN THE AREA. I ASKED TWR TO SAY AGAIN HIS LAST XMISSION, AND AGAIN WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE LAST PART OF HIS XMISSION. WE TURNED BASE LEG AND I ASKED TWR IF WE WERE CLRED TO LAND AND TWR SAID, 'HOW DO YOU READ ME?' THE FO THEN ASKED FOR LNDG CLRNC AND TWR SAID, 'NEGATIVE.' I WAS CONFUSED AT THIS TIME BECAUSE THE RWY WAS CLR. AGAIN, TWR STARTED TALKING TO ANOTHER AIRPLANE IN SPANISH. TWR THEN CLRED US TO LAND AND STATED, 'I HAVE THE RPT.' I THEN SAID TO THE FO 'I THINK THAT TWR WANTED US TO EXTEND OUR DOWNWIND LEG.' WE LANDED, MADE A 180 DEG TURN AT THE END OF THE RWY AND STARTED TAXIING TO THE RAMP WHEN TWR INSTRUCTED US TO EXPEDITE TAXI WITH NO REASON GIVEN. BEFORE I TURNED OFF THE RWY, I COULD SEE A SINGLE ENG CESSNA ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON RWY 16. TWR THEN STATED, 'SEE WHAT YOU'VE DONE, THAT'S THE SECOND GAR FOR THAT AIRPLANE.' I CALLED THE TWR FROM OP TO CLARIFY WHAT WAS GOING ON. THE CTLR DIDN'T WANT TO LISTEN TO ME. HE SAID WE NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED HIS XMISSIONS AND THAT HE HAD IT ON THE TAPES. HE ALSO STATED THAT I'M REQUIRED TO UNDERSTAND ALL OF HIS XMISSIONS ACCORDING TO THE REGS. I FELT FURTHER CONVERSATION WITH HIM WOULDN'T RESOLVE THIS ISSUE.

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.