 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Small aircraft aircraft pilot mistakenly selected wrong transponder code. Approach controller queried reporter about the code while vectoring him around class C airspace. Confusion admitted.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 368380 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199705 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : msn |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : msn tower : crp |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 400 flight time type : 330 |
| ASRS Report | 368380 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : published procedure non adherence : clearance other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Confusion regarding transponder squawk. While cruising on the 120 degree radial, approximately 12 NM from msn, I discovered the transponder was set to XXXX. I mistakenly thought I failed to change to 1200 at lnr before landing. I then set the transponder to 1200. This mistake was reinforced by the belief that msn approach did not give me a transponder squawk because of my altitude and their vectoring of me around the class C airspace. After approach asked if I changed my code, I said I had and explained why. The controller then approved communication frequency change. This event would not have occurred if I simply asked ATC if I was squawking the correct code and kept better records.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SMA ACFT PLT MISTAKENLY SELECTED WRONG XPONDER CODE. APCH CTLR QUERIED RPTR ABOUT THE CODE WHILE VECTORING HIM AROUND CLASS C AIRSPACE. CONFUSION ADMITTED.
Narrative: CONFUSION REGARDING XPONDER SQUAWK. WHILE CRUISING ON THE 120 DEG RADIAL, APPROX 12 NM FROM MSN, I DISCOVERED THE XPONDER WAS SET TO XXXX. I MISTAKENLY THOUGHT I FAILED TO CHANGE TO 1200 AT LNR BEFORE LNDG. I THEN SET THE XPONDER TO 1200. THIS MISTAKE WAS REINFORCED BY THE BELIEF THAT MSN APCH DID NOT GIVE ME A XPONDER SQUAWK BECAUSE OF MY ALT AND THEIR VECTORING OF ME AROUND THE CLASS C AIRSPACE. AFTER APCH ASKED IF I CHANGED MY CODE, I SAID I HAD AND EXPLAINED WHY. THE CTLR THEN APPROVED COM FREQ CHANGE. THIS EVENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF I SIMPLY ASKED ATC IF I WAS SQUAWKING THE CORRECT CODE AND KEPT BETTER RECORDS.
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.