Narrative:

I was ferrying aircraft from wichita to bwi and called approach about 40 mi west, WX was cavu night. I was VFR. After giving me 2 other frequencys controller assigned me a squawk. I had started a descent from 11500' MSL and was at about 8500' when controller said he had no mode C (25-30 mi from balance). I had just picked the aircraft up new from the factory and the mode C (unbeknownst to me) was inoperative. After some time, the controller informed me that I was in the dulles TCA. I consulted my charts and realized I had never heard of it and queried him about it. (I was well clear of the dulles and baltimore arsas). I was using commercial IFR charts which I had personally updated within the last week? (Might have been 10 days since I was on the road). The controller informed me that the TCA had gone into effect just that day (or he might have said the day before). I had no information on it in the commercial charts. Also, I got a thorough briefing from wichita flight service before departure and no mention of a new TCA was made by way of NOTAM. There was at no time any conflict between myself and any other traffic. I think that, there should have been a NOTAM as to the TCA for my destination when I got a briefing (since it was so new). The controllers (I talked to 3 before they said I was in the TCA) should have warned me or at least questioned me about the existence of the TCA, (again since it was no new). I usually fly IFR but since the WX was so good, I was going VFR with IFR charts (current though). Failure of mode C on a brand new airplane also contributed to the problem.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FERRY FLT FROM FACTORY HAD INOPERATIVE MODE C. PLT NOT INFORMED OF NEWLY ACTIVATED TCA, PENETRATES THE AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS FERRYING ACFT FROM WICHITA TO BWI AND CALLED APCH ABOUT 40 MI W, WX WAS CAVU NIGHT. I WAS VFR. AFTER GIVING ME 2 OTHER FREQS CTLR ASSIGNED ME A SQUAWK. I HAD STARTED A DSNT FROM 11500' MSL AND WAS AT ABOUT 8500' WHEN CTLR SAID HE HAD NO MODE C (25-30 MI FROM BAL). I HAD JUST PICKED THE ACFT UP NEW FROM THE FACTORY AND THE MODE C (UNBEKNOWNST TO ME) WAS INOPERATIVE. AFTER SOME TIME, THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT I WAS IN THE DULLES TCA. I CONSULTED MY CHARTS AND REALIZED I HAD NEVER HEARD OF IT AND QUERIED HIM ABOUT IT. (I WAS WELL CLR OF THE DULLES AND BALTIMORE ARSAS). I WAS USING COMMERCIAL IFR CHARTS WHICH I HAD PERSONALLY UPDATED WITHIN THE LAST WK? (MIGHT HAVE BEEN 10 DAYS SINCE I WAS ON THE ROAD). THE CTLR INFORMED ME THAT THE TCA HAD GONE INTO EFFECT JUST THAT DAY (OR HE MIGHT HAVE SAID THE DAY BEFORE). I HAD NO INFO ON IT IN THE COMMERCIAL CHARTS. ALSO, I GOT A THOROUGH BRIEFING FROM WICHITA FLT SVC BEFORE DEP AND NO MENTION OF A NEW TCA WAS MADE BY WAY OF NOTAM. THERE WAS AT NO TIME ANY CONFLICT BTWN MYSELF AND ANY OTHER TFC. I THINK THAT, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A NOTAM AS TO THE TCA FOR MY DEST WHEN I GOT A BRIEFING (SINCE IT WAS SO NEW). THE CTLRS (I TALKED TO 3 BEFORE THEY SAID I WAS IN THE TCA) SHOULD HAVE WARNED ME OR AT LEAST QUESTIONED ME ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF THE TCA, (AGAIN SINCE IT WAS NO NEW). I USUALLY FLY IFR BUT SINCE THE WX WAS SO GOOD, I WAS GOING VFR WITH IFR CHARTS (CURRENT THOUGH). FAILURE OF MODE C ON A BRAND NEW AIRPLANE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROB.

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.