Air taxi flight crew flies transition at wrong altitude.

Attributes
ACN	156634
Time
Date	199009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sju
State Reference	PR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sju
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Route In Use	enroute other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
ASRS Report	156634
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Xed overhead sju tower on the 'tango transition' westbound radio reception became poorer and poorer, when we switched to headsets, we were told to call the tower. The tower supervisor was unhappy that we had flown the 'tango transition' at 1500', even though there was no conflicting traffic. I explained that we had called san juan approach and requested flight following and advisory service and we had not been requested to change altitude from the altitude we initially reported at, which was 1500' MSL. He asked me if I was familiar with the 'tango transition' and I said yes, and that I knew that the published altitude westbound was 2000'. However, I was not aware, or I did not hear 'fly the tango transition 2000'.' many times we are requested to 'fly the tango transition 1500'' westbound. I do not know whether we missed the clearance because of poor radio reception, or whether we did not receive a clearance to change altitude at all. All I know is that there was no traffic conflict (the tower supervisor stated there was no traffic), and by the time we switched to headsets the tower supervisor was upset. I gave him my name, and assured him I would 'fly the tango' westbound at 2000' if at all possible from now on. Also I will expedite the use of headsets if the speaker becomes a problem again in the future, and confirm the altitude ATC wants me at.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR TAXI FLT CREW FLIES TRANSITION AT WRONG ALT.

Narrative: XED OVERHEAD SJU TWR ON THE 'TANGO TRANSITION' WBND RADIO RECEPTION BECAME POORER AND POORER, WHEN WE SWITCHED TO HEADSETS, WE WERE TOLD TO CALL THE TWR. THE TWR SUPVR WAS UNHAPPY THAT WE HAD FLOWN THE 'TANGO TRANSITION' AT 1500', EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS NO CONFLICTING TFC. I EXPLAINED THAT WE HAD CALLED SAN JUAN APCH AND REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND ADVISORY SVC AND WE HAD NOT BEEN REQUESTED TO CHANGE ALT FROM THE ALT WE INITIALLY RPTED AT, WHICH WAS 1500' MSL. HE ASKED ME IF I WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE 'TANGO TRANSITION' AND I SAID YES, AND THAT I KNEW THAT THE PUBLISHED ALT WBND WAS 2000'. HOWEVER, I WAS NOT AWARE, OR I DID NOT HEAR 'FLY THE TANGO TRANSITION 2000'.' MANY TIMES WE ARE REQUESTED TO 'FLY THE TANGO TRANSITION 1500'' WBND. I DO NOT KNOW WHETHER WE MISSED THE CLRNC BECAUSE OF POOR RADIO RECEPTION, OR WHETHER WE DID NOT RECEIVE A CLRNC TO CHANGE ALT AT ALL. ALL I KNOW IS THAT THERE WAS NO TFC CONFLICT (THE TWR SUPVR STATED THERE WAS NO TFC), AND BY THE TIME WE SWITCHED TO HEADSETS THE TWR SUPVR WAS UPSET. I GAVE HIM MY NAME, AND ASSURED HIM I WOULD 'FLY THE TANGO' WBND AT 2000' IF AT ALL POSSIBLE FROM NOW ON. ALSO I WILL EXPEDITE THE USE OF HEADSETS IF THE SPEAKER BECOMES A PROB AGAIN IN THE FUTURE, AND CONFIRM THE ALT ATC WANTS ME AT.

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.