Narrative:

I was flying from san felipe, mexico, to san diego, sdm for a customs stop before proceeding to van nuys (destination). I contacted tijuana tower about 25 mi southeast and advised I would like to overfly at 8500 en route to brown field. Tij tower acknowledged me after a couple of calls, but only instructed me to maintain 8500 ft. After a min or 2 tower handed me off to tij approach control. By this time, I was about 18 DME. Approach asked me if I saw the mexicana 727 below me and I replied I had visual contact. He asked me if I had a DME and I replied I did. He then asked if I knew how to use it and I replied I did. He asked why I was using transponder code. I advised him I had called san diego radio earlier and they gave me the code. (I'm not sure about the exact code) the controller then gave me a different transponder code and advised I was flying in the TCA. I said I knew that, but I had been in contact with the tij tower. He asked why I had not called barrier. I said I called at 25 mi. He said the TCA went out to 70 mi. I asked him several times if he was saying 70 mi. I asked him several times if he was saying 70 mi and he said yes. He spoke good english, but was very excited. I apologized and he handed me off to san diego approach. By this time I was in the san diego class B and they asked for an explanation. I explained I was just handed off to him and he said he would let it go this time. I called tij approach by telephone after landing at sdm. The controller said the 727 had TCASII and there was not a near miss, but both he and the air carrier pilot were upset with me. I was using the commercial low altitude la H/left en route chart plus san diego TCA and approach charts. None show a 70 mi ring, but the low altitude chart shows a 25 mi ring. No tij TCA chart.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS CLASS B AIRSPACE IN MEXICO AND CALIFORNIA.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING FROM SAN FELIPE, MEXICO, TO SAN DIEGO, SDM FOR A CUSTOMS STOP BEFORE PROCEEDING TO VAN NUYS (DEST). I CONTACTED TIJUANA TWR ABOUT 25 MI SE AND ADVISED I WOULD LIKE TO OVERFLY AT 8500 ENRTE TO BROWN FIELD. TIJ TWR ACKNOWLEDGED ME AFTER A COUPLE OF CALLS, BUT ONLY INSTRUCTED ME TO MAINTAIN 8500 FT. AFTER A MIN OR 2 TWR HANDED ME OFF TO TIJ APCH CTL. BY THIS TIME, I WAS ABOUT 18 DME. APCH ASKED ME IF I SAW THE MEXICANA 727 BELOW ME AND I REPLIED I HAD VISUAL CONTACT. HE ASKED ME IF I HAD A DME AND I REPLIED I DID. HE THEN ASKED IF I KNEW HOW TO USE IT AND I REPLIED I DID. HE ASKED WHY I WAS USING XPONDER CODE. I ADVISED HIM I HAD CALLED SAN DIEGO RADIO EARLIER AND THEY GAVE ME THE CODE. (I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE EXACT CODE) THE CTLR THEN GAVE ME A DIFFERENT XPONDER CODE AND ADVISED I WAS FLYING IN THE TCA. I SAID I KNEW THAT, BUT I HAD BEEN IN CONTACT WITH THE TIJ TWR. HE ASKED WHY I HAD NOT CALLED BARRIER. I SAID I CALLED AT 25 MI. HE SAID THE TCA WENT OUT TO 70 MI. I ASKED HIM SEVERAL TIMES IF HE WAS SAYING 70 MI. I ASKED HIM SEVERAL TIMES IF HE WAS SAYING 70 MI AND HE SAID YES. HE SPOKE GOOD ENGLISH, BUT WAS VERY EXCITED. I APOLOGIZED AND HE HANDED ME OFF TO SAN DIEGO APCH. BY THIS TIME I WAS IN THE SAN DIEGO CLASS B AND THEY ASKED FOR AN EXPLANATION. I EXPLAINED I WAS JUST HANDED OFF TO HIM AND HE SAID HE WOULD LET IT GO THIS TIME. I CALLED TIJ APCH BY TELEPHONE AFTER LNDG AT SDM. THE CTLR SAID THE 727 HAD TCASII AND THERE WAS NOT A NEAR MISS, BUT BOTH HE AND THE ACR PLT WERE UPSET WITH ME. I WAS USING THE COMMERCIAL LOW ALT LA H/L ENRTE CHART PLUS SAN DIEGO TCA AND APCH CHARTS. NONE SHOW A 70 MI RING, BUT THE LOW ALT CHART SHOWS A 25 MI RING. NO TIJ TCA CHART.

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.