Narrative:

Flying a new small aircraft which was not equipped with an encoding altimeter. Filed IFR with appropriate equipment suffix. Trip was from pgd to 0a9. WX was VFR along the entire route with visibilities 30 NM and greater. Departed, picked up IFR clearance from ZMA and was subsequently handed off to tpa approach, south of lal VOR. On initial contact with tpa approach, the controller asked if encoder was inoperative. I replied that aircraft was not encoder equipped. Controller responded that aircraft should be equipped with encoder to operate in tpa approach control airspace. Flight progressed through tpa approach airspace with no further discussion from controller. The rest of the trip was uneventful and the flight proceeded to 0a9. I feel the following items are pertinent to this incident. I normally fly aircraft that are equipped with encoding altimeters. I knew the small aircraft was not equipped with an encoder and filed the appropriate equipment suffix. I did not know tpa was a TCA (effective 9/90). Looking at the en route chart, my route of flight took me clear of the tpa TCA. Further investigation revealed that, as of 7/89, all aircraft within 30 NM of the primary airport in a TCA are required to be equipped with an encoder (far 92.215(B)(2)). As I passed over lal VOR, I was 28 NM from tpa. This type of incident could have been prevented by thoroughly reviewing the en route chart for the course to be flown and making sure left TCA's and surrounding airspace are circumnaved. The incident has made me more aware of the new regulations as they pertain to encoding altimeters and has forced me to reread and study far 91. It has also made me re-study the airspace structure with emphasis on TCA's and arsa's. Incidents like this drive home the point that you must check and rechk everything pertaining to the flight to make sure you are both safe and legal.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA CROSSED THE TPA 30 MILE TCA VEIL WITHOUT A MODE C.

Narrative: FLYING A NEW SMA WHICH WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ENCODING ALTIMETER. FILED IFR WITH APPROPRIATE EQUIP SUFFIX. TRIP WAS FROM PGD TO 0A9. WX WAS VFR ALONG THE ENTIRE RTE WITH VISIBILITIES 30 NM AND GREATER. DEPARTED, PICKED UP IFR CLRNC FROM ZMA AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY HANDED OFF TO TPA APCH, S OF LAL VOR. ON INITIAL CONTACT WITH TPA APCH, THE CTLR ASKED IF ENCODER WAS INOP. I REPLIED THAT ACFT WAS NOT ENCODER EQUIPPED. CTLR RESPONDED THAT ACFT SHOULD BE EQUIPPED WITH ENCODER TO OPERATE IN TPA APCH CTL AIRSPACE. FLT PROGRESSED THROUGH TPA APCH AIRSPACE WITH NO FURTHER DISCUSSION FROM CTLR. THE REST OF THE TRIP WAS UNEVENTFUL AND THE FLT PROCEEDED TO 0A9. I FEEL THE FOLLOWING ITEMS ARE PERTINENT TO THIS INCIDENT. I NORMALLY FLY ACFT THAT ARE EQUIPPED WITH ENCODING ALTIMETERS. I KNEW THE SMA WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH AN ENCODER AND FILED THE APPROPRIATE EQUIP SUFFIX. I DID NOT KNOW TPA WAS A TCA (EFFECTIVE 9/90). LOOKING AT THE ENRTE CHART, MY RTE OF FLT TOOK ME CLR OF THE TPA TCA. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT, AS OF 7/89, ALL ACFT WITHIN 30 NM OF THE PRIMARY ARPT IN A TCA ARE REQUIRED TO BE EQUIPPED WITH AN ENCODER (FAR 92.215(B)(2)). AS I PASSED OVER LAL VOR, I WAS 28 NM FROM TPA. THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY THOROUGHLY REVIEWING THE ENRTE CHART FOR THE COURSE TO BE FLOWN AND MAKING SURE L TCA'S AND SURROUNDING AIRSPACE ARE CIRCUMNAVED. THE INCIDENT HAS MADE ME MORE AWARE OF THE NEW REGS AS THEY PERTAIN TO ENCODING ALTIMETERS AND HAS FORCED ME TO REREAD AND STUDY FAR 91. IT HAS ALSO MADE ME RE-STUDY THE AIRSPACE STRUCTURE WITH EMPHASIS ON TCA'S AND ARSA'S. INCIDENTS LIKE THIS DRIVE HOME THE POINT THAT YOU MUST CHK AND RECHK EVERYTHING PERTAINING TO THE FLT TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE BOTH SAFE AND LEGAL.

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.