ZMP controller described near separation loss when an air carrier failed to meet issued crossing res...

Narrative:

Previous controller gave air carrier X a crossing restriction 110 northwest jvl at FL290; for ord arriving traffic requirement. I took over. Several minutes later; I noticed the aircraft still at cruise altitude (FL370); about 2 minutes away from restriction point. I asked pilot when he would start down. No response. I then told pilot to start descent; which he acknowledged. I then initiated a point-out to chicago center; sector 76. He indicated he had traffic at FL340 and would turn that aircraft to the right. I got back on frequency and told my aircraft to increase rate of descent through FL330. After aircraft were clear; I switched the aircraft to chicago. The biggest casual factor was pilot was not fluent in english. I found out later he advised the chicago controller he thought his crossing restriction was jvl at FL290; not 110 NM west at FL290. Tapes did have him read it back correctly when it was first issued. For my part; I should have been quicker to question his start down.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMP Controller described near separation loss when an air carrier failed to meet issued crossing restriction; reporter alleged that a language barrier was likely the primary causal factor.

Narrative: Previous Controller gave Air Carrier X a crossing restriction 110 NW JVL at FL290; for ORD arriving traffic requirement. I took over. Several minutes later; I noticed the aircraft still at cruise altitude (FL370); about 2 minutes away from restriction point. I asked pilot when he would start down. No response. I then told pilot to start descent; which he acknowledged. I then initiated a point-out to Chicago Center; sector 76. He indicated he had traffic at FL340 and would turn that aircraft to the right. I got back on frequency and told my aircraft to increase rate of descent through FL330. After aircraft were clear; I switched the aircraft to Chicago. The biggest casual factor was pilot was not fluent in English. I found out later he advised the Chicago Controller he thought his crossing restriction was JVL at FL290; not 110 NM west at FL290. Tapes did have him read it back correctly when it was first issued. For my part; I should have been quicker to question his start down.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.

Attributes
ACN	851007
Time
Date	200909
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZMP.ARTCC
State Reference	MN
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	B777 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Descent
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 21 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 15
Events
Anomaly	Deviation - Altitude Crossing Restriction Not Met Deviation - Procedural Clearance

ZMP controller described near separation loss when an air carrier failed to meet issued crossing restriction; reporter alleged that a language barrier was likely the primary causal factor.