Pilot of small aircraft inadvertently in air traffic area turned off transponder.

Attributes
ACN	185448
Time
Date	199108
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gyy
State Reference	IN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 2600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : gyy
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	185448
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : exited penetrated airspace
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I had departed lansing, il uncontrolled airport (3HA) to go to frankfort, mi (3d4) to take 2 friends up there to return their sailing boat from a sailing race. The wind was blowing from the ssw at 10-15 KTS. My cruising altitude was to be around 3000-3500 ft MSL. After departing 3HA I was climbing to cruise altitude when my friend said 'look, we are over gary airport'. I then looked at my altimeter which indicated about 2500-2600 ft MSL. It was hot that day about 90 degree. I felt that I was climbing good enough to miss gary, in (gyy) air traffic area by a wide margin but I guess I miscalculated. There was no traffic observed in their air traffic area. My transponder/encoder was on and operating normally. After feeling stupid about the error, I turned my transponder/encoder off for the next 30 mins. I know chicago center would be able to track my transponder but would lose my target out over the lake because of poor coverage. I was well away from the TCA so that did not present any problems. South bend radar does not have coverage over that far west at lower altitudes. So after passing north of benton harbor I recycled my transponder on and continued my trip. I hope this wasn't a big concern for gyy air traffic area. I will be more attentive to my climbs and areas from now on. I did learn a lesson from this. Thanks for being a friendly listener.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF SMA INADVERTENTLY IN ATA TURNED OFF TRANSPONDER.

Narrative: I HAD DEPARTED LANSING, IL UNCTLED ARPT (3HA) TO GO TO FRANKFORT, MI (3D4) TO TAKE 2 FRIENDS UP THERE TO RETURN THEIR SAILING BOAT FROM A SAILING RACE. THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE SSW AT 10-15 KTS. MY CRUISING ALT WAS TO BE AROUND 3000-3500 FT MSL. AFTER DEPARTING 3HA I WAS CLBING TO CRUISE ALT WHEN MY FRIEND SAID 'LOOK, WE ARE OVER GARY ARPT'. I THEN LOOKED AT MY ALTIMETER WHICH INDICATED ABOUT 2500-2600 FT MSL. IT WAS HOT THAT DAY ABOUT 90 DEG. I FELT THAT I WAS CLBING GOOD ENOUGH TO MISS GARY, IN (GYY) ATA BY A WIDE MARGIN BUT I GUESS I MISCALCULATED. THERE WAS NO TFC OBSERVED IN THEIR ATA. MY TRANSPONDER/ENCODER WAS ON AND OPERATING NORMALLY. AFTER FEELING STUPID ABOUT THE ERROR, I TURNED MY TRANSPONDER/ENCODER OFF FOR THE NEXT 30 MINS. I KNOW CHICAGO CENTER WOULD BE ABLE TO TRACK MY TRANSPONDER BUT WOULD LOSE MY TARGET OUT OVER THE LAKE BECAUSE OF POOR COVERAGE. I WAS WELL AWAY FROM THE TCA SO THAT DID NOT PRESENT ANY PROBLEMS. SOUTH BEND RADAR DOES NOT HAVE COVERAGE OVER THAT FAR W AT LOWER ALTS. SO AFTER PASSING N OF BENTON HARBOR I RECYCLED MY TRANSPONDER ON AND CONTINUED MY TRIP. I HOPE THIS WASN'T A BIG CONCERN FOR GYY ATA. I WILL BE MORE ATTENTIVE TO MY CLBS AND AREAS FROM NOW ON. I DID LEARN A LESSON FROM THIS. THANKS FOR BEING A FRIENDLY LISTENER.

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.