Captain of LJ31 complains that poor english skills of mexican controller caused him to misunderstand altitude clearance. Reporter states that 2 ATC instructions were issued. One in spanish, the other in english.

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Attributes
ACN	625331
Time
Date	200407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mmex.artcc
State Reference	FO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 16000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmex.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Learjet 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 11000 flight time type : 2000
ASRS Report	625331
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Events
Anomaly	altitude deviation : overshoot non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Departing pachucha, mexico, IFR to leon, mexico. Language barrier. What happened to ICAO -- english language? On departure, we were climbing to FL220 from the airport (not unusual in south and central america.) climbing through 15000 ft, we were given a frequency change and were told we were only cleared to 12000 ft. Pachucha is in uncontrolled airspace with the floor of controled airspace at 12000 ft. Please force ICAO to force member countries to use english.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CAPT OF LJ31 COMPLAINS THAT POOR ENGLISH SKILLS OF MEXICAN CTLR CAUSED HIM TO MISUNDERSTAND ALT CLRNC. RPTR STATES THAT 2 ATC INSTRUCTIONS WERE ISSUED. ONE IN SPANISH, THE OTHER IN ENGLISH.

Narrative: DEPARTING PACHUCHA, MEXICO, IFR TO LEON, MEXICO. LANGUAGE BARRIER. WHAT HAPPENED TO ICAO -- ENGLISH LANGUAGE? ON DEP, WE WERE CLBING TO FL220 FROM THE ARPT (NOT UNUSUAL IN SOUTH AND CENTRAL AMERICA.) CLBING THROUGH 15000 FT, WE WERE GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE AND WERE TOLD WE WERE ONLY CLRED TO 12000 FT. PACHUCHA IS IN UNCTLED AIRSPACE WITH THE FLOOR OF CTLED AIRSPACE AT 12000 FT. PLEASE FORCE ICAO TO FORCE MEMBER COUNTRIES TO USE ENGLISH.

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.