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Citation 525 pilot lost communication on departure and subsequently squawked 7500 rather than the 7600 NORDO code.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 801238 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200808 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : lin.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 19000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc tracon : nct.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Citationjet C525/C526 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 27 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 85 |
| ASRS Report | 801238 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe altitude deviation : excursion from assigned altitude non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Aircraft |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
Narrative:
We were departing apc on IFR flight plan. Norcal departure climbed me to high altitude sector and ZOA cleared me to FL350. Then; they stopped my climb at FL190 and sent us back to norcal. After checking in with norcal departure again; they left me at FL190. After numerous attempts to get higher altitude; I realized that I had lost communications. The old frequency was attempted; different mikes and radios attempted to no avail. I reverted back to basics: lost communication/climb to expected (filed) altitude and squawk 7600. I began climb (NORDO) to FL350 still attempting contact with any ZOA frequency. After several attempts; contact was re-established. Unfortunately; I had inadvertently set 7500 in the transponder vice 7600. The new controller 'read me out' for this error and the unauthorized climb continuation. No conflicts existed. Obviously the contributing factors were : the communications between norcal and ZOA which probably resulted in the lost communication. I was probably too far east geographically to be at FL190 still talking to departure. 2) single pilot operations are at times hectic; resulting in my incorrect transponder setting.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CITATION 525 PLT LOST COM ON DEPARTURE AND SUBSEQUENTLY SQUAWKED 7500 RATHER THAN THE 7600 NORDO CODE.
Narrative: WE WERE DEPARTING APC ON IFR FLT PLAN. NORCAL DEP CLBED ME TO HIGH ALT SECTOR AND ZOA CLRED ME TO FL350. THEN; THEY STOPPED MY CLB AT FL190 AND SENT US BACK TO NORCAL. AFTER CHKING IN WITH NORCAL DEP AGAIN; THEY LEFT ME AT FL190. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO GET HIGHER ALT; I REALIZED THAT I HAD LOST COMS. THE OLD FREQ WAS ATTEMPTED; DIFFERENT MIKES AND RADIOS ATTEMPTED TO NO AVAIL. I REVERTED BACK TO BASICS: LOST COM/CLB TO EXPECTED (FILED) ALT AND SQUAWK 7600. I BEGAN CLB (NORDO) TO FL350 STILL ATTEMPTING CONTACT WITH ANY ZOA FREQ. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPTS; CONTACT WAS RE-ESTABLISHED. UNFORTUNATELY; I HAD INADVERTENTLY SET 7500 IN THE XPONDER VICE 7600. THE NEW CTLR 'READ ME OUT' FOR THIS ERROR AND THE UNAUTH CLB CONTINUATION. NO CONFLICTS EXISTED. OBVIOUSLY THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE : THE COMS BTWN NORCAL AND ZOA WHICH PROBABLY RESULTED IN THE LOST COM. I WAS PROBABLY TOO FAR E GEOGRAPHICALLY TO BE AT FL190 STILL TALKING TO DEP. 2) SINGLE PLT OPS ARE AT TIMES HECTIC; RESULTING IN MY INCORRECT XPONDER SETTING.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 2009 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.