Narrative:

On approach to mroc; given expect ILS runway 7 circle to land runway 25. Winds were 240 degrees at 14 KTS at arrival time. When handed off to final approach; we were established on runway 7 localizer and given instructions to report tio VOR. We asked whether to circle for right traffic to runway 25; and were told affirmative. Commercial chart page says visual expect a right pattern; however; ILS runway 7 conflicts and says circle to land use belen visual. The belen visual is a teardrop pattern with an initial turn to the right then a left teadrop to the runway. Commercial chart page arrival note 3 states to request left pattern with approach to runway 25 (conflicting with 11-1). Since approach confirmed circle to right; we commenced a right pattern visual approach and landed on runway 25. Tower informed us after landing that normal circle is to the left. 10-7 arrival 3 should be updated to include normal circle to land runway 19-1 from the ILS DME runway 7 11-1 page (as well as 13-1). These use a quasi left pattern. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated that at the mroc airport; english is the second language. Therefore; it is a strong possibility that the controller did not understand the crew's question and because of that misunderstanding; the controller's response led them to believe a l-hand turn to a right traffic pattern was correct instead of a r-hand turn to a left traffic pattern. The airport approach charts correctly depict the approach to runway 7 with a circle to runway 25. Their company 10-7 chart verbiage is what initially caused them to question a left turn to a right pattern. The reporter now understands the confusion and is working with his company to have the 10-7 more clearly describe the circling procedure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN A320 PLT CIRCLED IN A R LNDG PATTERN VERSUS THE CORRECT L PATTERN AT MROC.

Narrative: ON APCH TO MROC; GIVEN EXPECT ILS RWY 7 CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 25. WINDS WERE 240 DEGS AT 14 KTS AT ARR TIME. WHEN HANDED OFF TO FINAL APCH; WE WERE ESTABLISHED ON RWY 7 LOC AND GIVEN INSTRUCTIONS TO RPT TIO VOR. WE ASKED WHETHER TO CIRCLE FOR R TFC TO RWY 25; AND WERE TOLD AFFIRMATIVE. COMMERCIAL CHART PAGE SAYS VISUAL EXPECT A R PATTERN; HOWEVER; ILS RWY 7 CONFLICTS AND SAYS CIRCLE TO LAND USE BELEN VISUAL. THE BELEN VISUAL IS A TEARDROP PATTERN WITH AN INITIAL TURN TO THE R THEN A L TEADROP TO THE RWY. COMMERCIAL CHART PAGE ARR NOTE 3 STATES TO REQUEST L PATTERN WITH APCH TO RWY 25 (CONFLICTING WITH 11-1). SINCE APCH CONFIRMED CIRCLE TO R; WE COMMENCED A R PATTERN VISUAL APCH AND LANDED ON RWY 25. TWR INFORMED US AFTER LNDG THAT NORMAL CIRCLE IS TO THE L. 10-7 ARR 3 SHOULD BE UPDATED TO INCLUDE NORMAL CIRCLE TO LAND RWY 19-1 FROM THE ILS DME RWY 7 11-1 PAGE (AS WELL AS 13-1). THESE USE A QUASI L PATTERN. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT AT THE MROC ARPT; ENGLISH IS THE SECOND LANGUAGE. THEREFORE; IT IS A STRONG POSSIBILITY THAT THE CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND THE CREW'S QUESTION AND BECAUSE OF THAT MISUNDERSTANDING; THE CTLR'S RESPONSE LED THEM TO BELIEVE A L-HAND TURN TO A R TFC PATTERN WAS CORRECT INSTEAD OF A R-HAND TURN TO A L TFC PATTERN. THE ARPT APCH CHARTS CORRECTLY DEPICT THE APCH TO RWY 7 WITH A CIRCLE TO RWY 25. THEIR COMPANY 10-7 CHART VERBIAGE IS WHAT INITIALLY CAUSED THEM TO QUESTION A L TURN TO A R PATTERN. THE RPTR NOW UNDERSTANDS THE CONFUSION AND IS WORKING WITH HIS COMPANY TO HAVE THE 10-7 MORE CLRLY DESCRIBE THE CIRCLING PROC.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.