Small aircraft enters TCA with transponder on standby.

Attributes
ACN	254024
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dpa airport : ord
State Reference	IL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ord
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 17 flight time total : 316 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	254024
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter other non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified cockpit
Resolutory Action	flight crew : became reoriented flight crew : exited adverse environment
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Problem: transponder not active while in TCA boundary. Altitude violation when not in contact with ATC. How problem arose: transponder switch rotated to activate prior to takeoff but inadvertently in standby position. From arrival, original flight plan to go due north at 3000 ft. Turbulence at planned altitude resulted in ascending to smoother altitude, which would not have been a factor on original route. Changed route of flight, which resulted in passing over east boundary of crystal lake (water), that was 1 statute mi inside 4000 ft TCA altitude boundary. Problem discovered: recognized position over east side of crystal lake in altitude restr area while at 5000 ft. Checked transponder to be sure I was visible and was alarmed to see transponder in 'standby' position. Corrective action: immediately turned transponder to 'on' position to be sure I was 'visible' and descended as quickly and safely as possible. Factors affecting quality of decision: deviation of route from original flight plan. Change in altitude due to mild turbulence causing passenger discomfort. Preventive actions: need to double-check transponder to verify in 'on' versus 'standby' position after takeoff. Avoid route deviation if altitude change. Ensure greater position or altitude margin from TCA altitude ceilings.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA ENTERS TCA WITH XPONDER ON STANDBY.

Narrative: PROB: XPONDER NOT ACTIVE WHILE IN TCA BOUNDARY. ALT VIOLATION WHEN NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC. HOW PROB AROSE: XPONDER SWITCH ROTATED TO ACTIVATE PRIOR TO TKOF BUT INADVERTENTLY IN STANDBY POS. FROM ARR, ORIGINAL FLT PLAN TO GO DUE N AT 3000 FT. TURB AT PLANNED ALT RESULTED IN ASCENDING TO SMOOTHER ALT, WHICH WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR ON ORIGINAL RTE. CHANGED RTE OF FLT, WHICH RESULTED IN PASSING OVER E BOUNDARY OF CRYSTAL LAKE (WATER), THAT WAS 1 STATUTE MI INSIDE 4000 FT TCA ALT BOUNDARY. PROB DISCOVERED: RECOGNIZED POS OVER E SIDE OF CRYSTAL LAKE IN ALT RESTR AREA WHILE AT 5000 FT. CHKED XPONDER TO BE SURE I WAS VISIBLE AND WAS ALARMED TO SEE XPONDER IN 'STANDBY' POS. CORRECTIVE ACTION: IMMEDIATELY TURNED XPONDER TO 'ON' POS TO BE SURE I WAS 'VISIBLE' AND DSNDED AS QUICKLY AND SAFELY AS POSSIBLE. FACTORS AFFECTING QUALITY OF DECISION: DEV OF RTE FROM ORIGINAL FLT PLAN. CHANGE IN ALT DUE TO MILD TURB CAUSING PAX DISCOMFORT. PREVENTIVE ACTIONS: NEED TO DOUBLE-CHK XPONDER TO VERIFY IN 'ON' VERSUS 'STANDBY' POS AFTER TKOF. AVOID RTE DEV IF ALT CHANGE. ENSURE GREATER POS OR ALT MARGIN FROM TCA ALT CEILINGS.

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.