1995-03 · NASA ASRS report 298292
A FOREIGN CTLR'S LANGUAGE TRANSLATION; MAY HAVE CAUSED AN ACR FLC; AND POSSIBLY; OTHER UNITED STATES FLC'S; TO OPERATE WITH AN INCORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING. THE INCORRECT ALTIMETER SETTING PLACED ACFT AT 200-300 FT LOWER THAN FIELD ELEVATION.
ESTABLISHED IN HOLDING PATTERN AT BOG-NDB AT 16000 FT. STARTED HOLDING AT FL230 AND WORKED DOWN TO 16000 FT TRANSITIONING THROUGH FL190 DOWN TO 17000 FT; APCH GAVE US THE ALTIMETER OF 30.00 INCHES; WHICH THE COPLT READ BACK AS 30.00 INCHES; RESET ALTIMETERS. THE CREW OBSERVED OTHER TFC VISUALLY AND ON THE TCASII. AN AIRLINER WAS AT 14000 FT; INDICATING 2000 FT BELOW; ON TCASII; AND A UNITED STATES REGISTERED BIZJET AT 13000 FT; INDICATING 3100 FT BELOW; AND OCCASIONALLY 3000 FT BELOW ON OUR TCASII. COMING OUT OF A TURN; INBOUND TO BOG NDB FIX; WE PICKED UP A TA 700-800 FT BELOW US; ENTERING THE HOLDING FIX. WE QUESTIONED THE CTLR ABOUT THIS TFC. THE SUBJECT ACFT; AND CTLR HAD A LONG EXCHANGE ON FREQ IN SPANISH. SHORTLY THEREAFTER; THE PREVIOUS CTLR WAS REPLACED BY WHOM; I ASSUMED; WAS A SUPVR; WITH A MORE PROFESSIONAL MANNER OF HANDLING THE TFC (BETTER ENGLISH TOO!) WE FINALLY WORKED OUR WAY DOWN TO 12000 FT AND APCH CLRED US FOR ILS RWY 13; WITH 2 ACFT ON FINAL; AHEAD OF OUR FLT. XING THE LOM ON GS; I NOTICED THE ALTIMETER XING ALT ABOUT 200 FT LOW. THEN; ON LNDG; NOTED OUR 3 ALTIMETERS ABOUT 240 FT BELOW FIELD ELEVATION OF 8355 FT. PARKED AT RAMP SET FIELD ELEVATION AND BAROMETER; CAME UP WITH 30.30. THE CTLR'S BROKEN/ACCENTED; 3 TIMES 3 QUALITY XMISSIONS LEAD TO OUR HEARING 30.00 INCHES WHEN POSSIBLY; THE CTLR SAID 30.30 INCHES. OUR READBACK OF 30.00 INCHES WAS NOT CAUGHT. NOT UNHEARD OF; IN ALL THE ATC SYS AROUND THE WORLD. WHAT PUZZLES ME IS THAT THE 2 UNITED STATES ACFT WITH ENGLISH SPEAKING CREWS WERE AT EXACT ALTS BELOW; AND THE CLOSEST COLUMBIA AIRLINER WAS 200-300 FT CLOSER TO US; (700-800 FT BELOW ON TCASII). POSSIBLY; THE 3 SETS OF UNITED STATES CREWS MISHEARD THE ALTIMETER IN INITIAL CONTACT WITH BOG APCH CTL; (OR I HOPE THEY DIDN'T RESET THEIR ALTIMETERS BASED ON HEARING OUR READBACK); OR THE CTLR GAVE US ALL THE WRONG SETTING OF 30.00 INCHES BY MISTAKE.
Source: NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (public domain). Reports are voluntary submissions and are not verified by NASA.
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