An small aircraft pilot squawks 7500 vice 7600.

Attributes
ACN	311981
Time
Date	199507
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ikk
State Reference	IL
Altitude	agl bound lower : 9000 agl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skylane 182/RG Turbo Skylane/RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other other other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 70 flight time total : 1400 flight time type : 203
ASRS Report	311981
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

IFR flight plan was oshkosh to fort wayne. The chicago controller asked me to recycle my transponder, because of signal. I did so and attempted a radio transmission to the controller, but could not receive. I then noted that the generator was not delivering full output and decided that I could not continue IFR flight and wished to determine the electrical problem. Ikk airport was 3-4 mi back on course and I set up a descent. I dialed in what I intended to be 7600 on the transponder but inadvertently selected 7500, set up for the approach and landed without incident. Upon landing, I contacted FSS and canceled the flight plan, explaining my mistake regarding the transponder. No mechanics were available, but I did talk with a pilot/certified mechanic and determined that I had a generator which was not putting out full power. The WX was VFR, and I elected to continue the flight under VFR flight rules. I proceeded to jamestown, ny, after having received a flight briefing from the ikk FSS. The next morning I had a mechanic at jamestown look at the generator, but he had no parts available. The day was VFR, so I proceeded to massachusetts after recharging the battery, landed, and had the generator brushes replaced, which corrected the problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMA PLT SQUAWKS 7500 VICE 7600.

Narrative: IFR FLT PLAN WAS OSHKOSH TO FORT WAYNE. THE CHICAGO CTLR ASKED ME TO RECYCLE MY XPONDER, BECAUSE OF SIGNAL. I DID SO AND ATTEMPTED A RADIO XMISSION TO THE CTLR, BUT COULD NOT RECEIVE. I THEN NOTED THAT THE GENERATOR WAS NOT DELIVERING FULL OUTPUT AND DECIDED THAT I COULD NOT CONTINUE IFR FLT AND WISHED TO DETERMINE THE ELECTRICAL PROB. IKK ARPT WAS 3-4 MI BACK ON COURSE AND I SET UP A DSCNT. I DIALED IN WHAT I INTENDED TO BE 7600 ON THE XPONDER BUT INADVERTENTLY SELECTED 7500, SET UP FOR THE APCH AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. UPON LNDG, I CONTACTED FSS AND CANCELED THE FLT PLAN, EXPLAINING MY MISTAKE REGARDING THE XPONDER. NO MECHS WERE AVAILABLE, BUT I DID TALK WITH A PLT/CERTIFIED MECH AND DETERMINED THAT I HAD A GENERATOR WHICH WAS NOT PUTTING OUT FULL PWR. THE WX WAS VFR, AND I ELECTED TO CONTINUE THE FLT UNDER VFR FLT RULES. I PROCEEDED TO JAMESTOWN, NY, AFTER HAVING RECEIVED A FLT BRIEFING FROM THE IKK FSS. THE NEXT MORNING I HAD A MECH AT JAMESTOWN LOOK AT THE GENERATOR, BUT HE HAD NO PARTS AVAILABLE. THE DAY WAS VFR, SO I PROCEEDED TO MASSACHUSETTS AFTER RECHARGING THE BATTERY, LANDED, AND HAD THE GENERATOR BRUSHES REPLACED, WHICH CORRECTED 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.