Narrative:

Although I had been to tjsj many times before I had never taxied to/from the cargo area. At the time of the infraction we were given a taxi clearance to proceed out of the cargo ramp via: 'hotel; charlie; alpha.' we taxied west on 'hotel' and looked for 'charlie.' we had checklists and briefings to run during taxi and I was looking for 'charlie' as we approached the end of 'hotel.' I saw a short loop to the right but it was unmarked. I told the first officer that 'at a previous airline we would normally turn on the little loop prior to the end of 'hotel.' the first officer said 'no; I see 'charlie' up ahead at the end of hotel.' since he had been into tjsj many times with this company I relied on his answer. As we approached the end of 'hotel' the ground controller called 'air carrier X; hold position.' I immediately stopped; approximately 100 yards from the end of 'hotel.' 'ground control' stated that we had been instructed to proceed via 'charlie.' I had seen a CAT ii hold line but still no signs for 'charlie' except the one ahead and to the right; actually on 'alpha.' I replied 'is that the 'dogleg' right turn just behind us?' he said it was. I apologized and suggested that he advise the airport manager that 'charlie' is not labeled and we only saw/see the sign for 'charlie' at the end of 'hotel' actually on the 'alpha' taxiway. Ground control said that 'a lot of airplanes make that mistake.' we proceeded to taxi when given further clearance and took off as normal. My lesson is to consult the taxi chart better. A suggestion is for tjsj to install taxi signs at the 'charlie/hotel' intersection.supplemental information from acn 815945: through the windows of the aircraft we could see a taxiway C sign on the distance located on the left side of taxiway a; at the exit of taxiway C (from our direction of travel) so it was very confusing to say the least. I believed that with a leading sign before taxiway C; you could never made the mistake that we made that day; moreover this occurrence happened not because we were being reckless or careless but because this area in particular is prone to mistakes that could easily be avoided.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AIR CARRIER FLT CREW MISSES THEIR R TURN ON TXWY 'C' AT TJSJ; CITING LACK OF ADEQUATE SIGNAGE AS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

Narrative: ALTHOUGH I HAD BEEN TO TJSJ MANY TIMES BEFORE I HAD NEVER TAXIED TO/FROM THE CARGO AREA. AT THE TIME OF THE INFRACTION WE WERE GIVEN A TAXI CLEARANCE TO PROCEED OUT OF THE CARGO RAMP VIA: 'HOTEL; CHARLIE; ALPHA.' WE TAXIED WEST ON 'HOTEL' AND LOOKED FOR 'CHARLIE.' WE HAD CHECKLISTS AND BRIEFINGS TO RUN DURING TAXI AND I WAS LOOKING FOR 'CHARLIE' AS WE APCHED THE END OF 'HOTEL.' I SAW A SHORT LOOP TO THE RIGHT BUT IT WAS UNMARKED. I TOLD THE FO THAT 'AT A PREVIOUS AIRLINE WE WOULD NORMALLY TURN ON THE LITTLE LOOP PRIOR TO THE END OF 'HOTEL.' THE FO SAID 'NO; I SEE 'CHARLIE' UP AHEAD AT THE END OF HOTEL.' SINCE HE HAD BEEN INTO TJSJ MANY TIMES WITH THIS COMPANY I RELIED ON HIS ANSWER. AS WE APCHED THE END OF 'HOTEL' THE GND CTLR CALLED 'ACR X; HOLD POSITION.' I IMMEDIATELY STOPPED; APPROX 100 YARDS FROM THE END OF 'HOTEL.' 'GND CTL' STATED THAT WE HAD BEEN INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED VIA 'CHARLIE.' I HAD SEEN A CAT II HOLD LINE BUT STILL NO SIGNS FOR 'CHARLIE' EXCEPT THE ONE AHEAD AND TO THE RIGHT; ACTUALLY ON 'ALPHA.' I REPLIED 'IS THAT THE 'DOGLEG' RIGHT TURN JUST BEHIND US?' HE SAID IT WAS. I APOLOGIZED AND SUGGESTED THAT HE ADVISE THE AIRPORT MANAGER THAT 'CHARLIE' IS NOT LABELED AND WE ONLY SAW/SEE THE SIGN FOR 'CHARLIE' AT THE END OF 'HOTEL' ACTUALLY ON THE 'ALPHA' TXWY. GND CTL SAID THAT 'A LOT OF AIRPLANES MAKE THAT MISTAKE.' WE PROCEEDED TO TAXI WHEN GIVEN FURTHER CLEARANCE AND TOOK OFF AS NORMAL. MY LESSON IS TO CONSULT THE TAXI CHART BETTER. A SUGGESTION IS FOR TJSJ TO INSTALL TAXI SIGNS AT THE 'CHARLIE/HOTEL' INTXN.SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 815945: THROUGH THE WINDOWS OF THE AIRCRAFT WE COULD SEE A TAXIWAY C SIGN ON THE DISTANCE LOCATED ON THE LEFT SIDE OF TAXIWAY A; AT THE EXIT OF TAXIWAY C (FROM OUR DIRECTION OF TRAVEL) SO IT WAS VERY CONFUSING TO SAY THE LEAST. I BELIEVED THAT WITH A LEADING SIGN BEFORE TAXIWAY C; YOU COULD NEVER MADE THE MISTAKE THAT WE MADE THAT DAY; MOREOVER THIS OCCURRENCE HAPPENED NOT BECAUSE WE WERE BEING RECKLESS OR CARELESS BUT BECAUSE THIS AREA IN PARTICULAR IS PRONE TO MISTAKES THAT COULD EASILY BE AVOIDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.