Narrative:

This was a 15 min VFR flight from clayton, co, to monroe. Upon arriving at destination, an instrument scan indicated the transponder appeared not to be working (the reply light was not blinking). The entire flight was outside atl's class B airspace at 2500 ft MSL. However, far 91.215(B)(2) requires a transponder mode C if within 30 NM of atl class B, even if outside the airspace. (Flight path was within 30 NM.) I was not talking to ATC, therefore there was no way to confirm when or if the transponder was malfunctioning. There were thunderstorms building in the area, therefore I elected to land instead of trouble-shoot the transponder by calling ATC. Hope there was no actual problems with the transponder, but just in case, I wanted to file this report.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL OPERATED WITHIN 30 MI OF CLASS B AIRSPACE ARPT WITHOUT OPERABLE XPONDER AND NO ATC AUTH TO CONTINUE TO DEST.

Narrative: THIS WAS A 15 MIN VFR FLT FROM CLAYTON, CO, TO MONROE. UPON ARRIVING AT DEST, AN INST SCAN INDICATED THE XPONDER APPEARED NOT TO BE WORKING (THE REPLY LIGHT WAS NOT BLINKING). THE ENTIRE FLT WAS OUTSIDE ATL'S CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 2500 FT MSL. HOWEVER, FAR 91.215(B)(2) REQUIRES A XPONDER MODE C IF WITHIN 30 NM OF ATL CLASS B, EVEN IF OUTSIDE THE AIRSPACE. (FLT PATH WAS WITHIN 30 NM.) I WAS NOT TALKING TO ATC, THEREFORE THERE WAS NO WAY TO CONFIRM WHEN OR IF THE XPONDER WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THERE WERE TSTMS BUILDING IN THE AREA, THEREFORE I ELECTED TO LAND INSTEAD OF TROUBLE-SHOOT THE XPONDER BY CALLING ATC. HOPE THERE WAS NO ACTUAL PROBS WITH THE XPONDER, BUT JUST IN CASE, I WANTED TO FILE THIS RPT.

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.