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A320 crew has language barrier, radio communication and approach controller handling problems at mkjs.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 496062 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200012 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : mkjs.airport |
| State Reference | FO |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Turbulence |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mkjs.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other other vortac |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival star : alora 5 |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : multi engine pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 225 flight time total : 7000 flight time type : 4000 |
| ASRS Report | 496062 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 177 flight time total : 7914 flight time type : 627 |
| ASRS Report | 495903 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : executed go around |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance ATC Facility |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | communication equipment : mkjs.tracon procedure or policy : mkjs.tracon radar equipment : mkjs.tracon |
Narrative:
On arrival into mbj, we were on the 12 DME arc on the alora 5 arrival at 4000 ft. The radio reception was poor and we had a difficult time understanding the controller's english. Every radio call to and from ATC had to be repeated twice. Some of our radio calls to ATC were not even answered. Approaching mobar at 4000 ft, we asked if we were cleared for the VOR DME runway 7 approach. The reply was 'not yet,' which led us to believe that approach clearance would be given shortly. At mobar, we asked repeatedly if we were cleared for approach. We were surprised when the answer was 'no.' at this point we felt we were out of position to hold at mobar, so we turned to final and executed the published missed approach at 4000 ft. We were never given an efc time or told to expect holding. We believe the primary factors contributing to this incident were: 1) lack of radar at mbj, 2) WX, 3) language difficulties, 4) radio congestion.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A320 CREW HAS LANGUAGE BARRIER, RADIO COM AND APCH CTLR HANDLING PROBS AT MKJS.
Narrative: ON ARR INTO MBJ, WE WERE ON THE 12 DME ARC ON THE ALORA 5 ARR AT 4000 FT. THE RADIO RECEPTION WAS POOR AND WE HAD A DIFFICULT TIME UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR'S ENGLISH. EVERY RADIO CALL TO AND FROM ATC HAD TO BE REPEATED TWICE. SOME OF OUR RADIO CALLS TO ATC WERE NOT EVEN ANSWERED. APCHING MOBAR AT 4000 FT, WE ASKED IF WE WERE CLRED FOR THE VOR DME RWY 7 APCH. THE REPLY WAS 'NOT YET,' WHICH LED US TO BELIEVE THAT APCH CLRNC WOULD BE GIVEN SHORTLY. AT MOBAR, WE ASKED REPEATEDLY IF WE WERE CLRED FOR APCH. WE WERE SURPRISED WHEN THE ANSWER WAS 'NO.' AT THIS POINT WE FELT WE WERE OUT OF POS TO HOLD AT MOBAR, SO WE TURNED TO FINAL AND EXECUTED THE PUBLISHED MISSED APCH AT 4000 FT. WE WERE NEVER GIVEN AN EFC TIME OR TOLD TO EXPECT HOLDING. WE BELIEVE THE PRIMARY FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS INCIDENT WERE: 1) LACK OF RADAR AT MBJ, 2) WX, 3) LANGUAGE DIFFICULTIES, 4) RADIO CONGESTION.
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.