ACR LGT ALTDEV OVERSHOT BECAUSE THE FLC COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE ALTIMETER SETTING GIVEN BY YUL CTLR.
Synopsis
ACR LGT ALTDEV OVERSHOT BECAUSE THE FLC COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE ALTIMETER SETTING GIVEN BY YUL CTLR.
Narrative
DURING APCH TO THE MONTREAL MIRABEL ARPT WE WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR'S ENGLISH. THE FLT ENGINEER COULD NOT UNDERSTAND THE ALTIMETER SETTING AND WITHOUT OUR KNOWLEDGE PUT DOWN WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS CORRECT. WE TOLD THE APCH CTLR DIRECTLY THAT WE COULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT HE WAS TRYING TO SAY TO US DUE TO A VERY HVY FRENCH ACCENT. THIS WAS ALSO THE CASE WITH THE ATIS INFO. THE CTLRS WERE ALSO USING MANY NONSTANDARD PHRASES AND WE HAD TO QUERY THEM MANY TIMES ON THEIR MEANINGS. I HAVE BEEN FLYING TO CANADA FOR MANY YRS AND HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED THIS MANY PROBLEMS WITH THE CTLRS. OUR APCH RWY HAD BEEN CHANGED AT THE LAST MIN AND MY DSCNT SOLUTION HAD TO BE ADJUSTED FOR THE APCH. THIS REQUIRED USE OF SPD BRAKES AND WAS FURTHER COMPLICATED BY HIGHER PWR REQUIRED FOR ANTI-ICE. THE ALTIMETER SETTING THAT WAS GIVEN UP TO US WAS 30.44 AND THE ACTUAL SETTING WAS 30.04. THIS LED TO AN ALT ERROR ON THE LEVEL OUT FOR TURN TO FINAL OF APPROX 300 FT LOW. THE CTLR ASKED OUR ALT WHICH WE CALL BACK AS 3000 FT; 'OUR INDICATED.' HE SAID THAT HE SHOWED US AT 2600 FT AND ASKED US OUR ALTIMETER. I BELIEVE THAT THE USE OF NONSTANDARD PHRASEOLOGY AND THE PEOPLES BELLIGERENT ATTITUDE AGAINST THE USE OF ENGLISH MADE THIS PROBLEM HAPPEN. THE FLT ENGINEER SHOULD HAVE ALSO ASKED FOR HELP IN UNDERSTANDING THE ATIS.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.