CH7A pilot questions rhv controller's lack of response to a C152 in the traffic pattern with a langu...

Attributes
ACN	526891
Time
Date	200110
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : rhv.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Champion Citabria
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Plan	None
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tower : rhv.tower
Make Model Name	Cessna 152
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : student
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 10 flight time total : 20 flight time type : 20
ASRS Report	526891
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Airport
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : rhv.tower

Narrative:

At XA45 as I was traveling downwind, a pilot with a pronounced accent made a total of seven attempts to contact the tower as they were attempting to approach reid-hillview airport in their aircraft. Several other pilots (including myself), heard the xmissions from aircraft Y clearly. One of those pilots called the tower and asked the tower why they were non-responsive to the pilot in aircraft Y. A gentleman in the tower replied that he did not hear the xmissions from the aircraft and would not authorize the pilot to land if there was no radio in his aircraft. The behavior of the gentleman in the tower caused undue anxiety for the pilots, and in my opinion could have created a dangerous situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CH7A PLT QUESTIONS RHV CTLR'S LACK OF RESPONSE TO A C152 IN THE TFC PATTERN WITH A LANGUAGE ACCENT.

Narrative: AT XA45 AS I WAS TRAVELING DOWNWIND, A PLT WITH A PRONOUNCED ACCENT MADE A TOTAL OF SEVEN ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE TWR AS THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO APCH REID-HILLVIEW ARPT IN THEIR ACFT. SEVERAL OTHER PLTS (INCLUDING MYSELF), HEARD THE XMISSIONS FROM ACFT Y CLEARLY. ONE OF THOSE PLTS CALLED THE TWR AND ASKED THE TWR WHY THEY WERE NON-RESPONSIVE TO THE PLT IN ACFT Y. A GENTLEMAN IN THE TWR REPLIED THAT HE DID NOT HEAR THE XMISSIONS FROM THE ACFT AND WOULD NOT AUTHORIZE THE PLT TO LAND IF THERE WAS NO RADIO IN HIS ACFT. THE BEHAVIOR OF THE GENTLEMAN IN THE TWR CAUSED UNDUE ANXIETY FOR THE PLTS, AND IN MY OPINION COULD HAVE CREATED A DANGEROUS SIT.

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.

CH7A pilot questions rhv controller's lack of response to a C152 in the traffic pattern with a language accent.