 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Pilot of an small aircraft sel inadvertently was transmitting the 7700 transponder code, without his knowledge, after attempting to check his transponder operation with approach control. ATC intervened, via airport unicom, to alert reporter that he was emitting this code.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 379047 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199709 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : fbl |
| State Reference | MN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : msp |
| 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 | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 14000 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 379047 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera other other : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Was on a pleasure flight and decided to call msp approach to check my transponder for proper operation. Controller was very nice, gave me 2 codes to try, but neither one produced a good test on her screen, so I thanked her and told her I'd stay clear of her class B. Later in the flight, fbl unicom called me and said that ZMP had called them on the phone and asked if they knew anything about the airplane flying overhead that was squawking 7700. I told him we were checking my transponder, but I appeared inoperative. Imagine my surprise to find out it was not only inoperative for normal purposes, but also squawked 7700 all by itself! Needless to say, I shut it off and had it removed for repair at the next landing. Lesson: if you suspect a malfunction on any radio, don't just disregard it -- shut it off!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PLT OF AN SMA SEL INADVERTENTLY WAS XMITTING THE 7700 XPONDER CODE, WITHOUT HIS KNOWLEDGE, AFTER ATTEMPTING TO CHK HIS XPONDER OP WITH APCH CTL. ATC INTERVENED, VIA ARPT UNICOM, TO ALERT RPTR THAT HE WAS EMITTING THIS CODE.
Narrative: WAS ON A PLEASURE FLT AND DECIDED TO CALL MSP APCH TO CHK MY XPONDER FOR PROPER OP. CTLR WAS VERY NICE, GAVE ME 2 CODES TO TRY, BUT NEITHER ONE PRODUCED A GOOD TEST ON HER SCREEN, SO I THANKED HER AND TOLD HER I'D STAY CLR OF HER CLASS B. LATER IN THE FLT, FBL UNICOM CALLED ME AND SAID THAT ZMP HAD CALLED THEM ON THE PHONE AND ASKED IF THEY KNEW ANYTHING ABOUT THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVERHEAD THAT WAS SQUAWKING 7700. I TOLD HIM WE WERE CHKING MY XPONDER, BUT I APPEARED INOP. IMAGINE MY SURPRISE TO FIND OUT IT WAS NOT ONLY INOP FOR NORMAL PURPOSES, BUT ALSO SQUAWKED 7700 ALL BY ITSELF! NEEDLESS TO SAY, I SHUT IT OFF AND HAD IT REMOVED FOR REPAIR AT THE NEXT LNDG. LESSON: IF YOU SUSPECT A MALFUNCTION ON ANY RADIO, DON'T JUST DISREGARD IT -- SHUT IT OFF!
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.