TCA penetration without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	90630
Time
Date	198807
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : fbi airport : bfi
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sea tower : bur
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 5 flight time total : 120 flight time type : 115
ASRS Report	90630
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : overcame equipment problem other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

While climbing to 4500' (as per my filed flight plan). I contacted sea departure on frequency 120.4 to ask for flight following to illwaco airport, at just below 3000' MSL. At 3000', contact was established. Pilot (me): 'request flight following to illwaco. I'm an small aircraft at 3000' climbing to 4.5, 10 mi east of boeing field.' departure: 'small aircraft standby for squawk code.' (a few seconds later): 'small aircraft radar contact, descend immediately to 3000', you are in the TCA, I can't clear you for that altitude west/O a mode C transponder.' pilot: 'can you pick up my altitude now?' (switching on the mode C). Departure: 'small aircraft ok, I have you now, proceed to 4.5.' contributing factors to TCA violation: small aircraft is a rental airplane (FBO, boeing field) equipped recently with the required altitude encoder transponder. As I entered the runway (cleared for takeoff) I switched the transponder from 'standby' to 'on,' but neglected to continue turning knob to the 'altitude' position. Although the ATC had me in contact on radar, they could only assume I had no mode C, since it was not activated. Corrective action: assure transponder is in the 'altitude' position, and be sure I am 'cleared into TCA' before entering.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TCA PENETRATION WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: WHILE CLBING TO 4500' (AS PER MY FILED FLT PLAN). I CONTACTED SEA DEP ON FREQ 120.4 TO ASK FOR FLT FOLLOWING TO ILLWACO ARPT, AT JUST BELOW 3000' MSL. AT 3000', CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. PLT (ME): 'REQUEST FLT FOLLOWING TO ILLWACO. I'M AN SMA AT 3000' CLBING TO 4.5, 10 MI E OF BOEING FIELD.' DEP: 'SMA STANDBY FOR SQUAWK CODE.' (A FEW SECONDS LATER): 'SMA RADAR CONTACT, DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 3000', YOU ARE IN THE TCA, I CAN'T CLR YOU FOR THAT ALT W/O A MODE C TRANSPONDER.' PLT: 'CAN YOU PICK UP MY ALT NOW?' (SWITCHING ON THE MODE C). DEP: 'SMA OK, I HAVE YOU NOW, PROCEED TO 4.5.' CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO TCA VIOLATION: SMA IS A RENTAL AIRPLANE (FBO, BOEING FIELD) EQUIPPED RECENTLY WITH THE REQUIRED ALT ENCODER TRANSPONDER. AS I ENTERED THE RWY (CLRED FOR TKOF) I SWITCHED THE TRANSPONDER FROM 'STANDBY' TO 'ON,' BUT NEGLECTED TO CONTINUE TURNING KNOB TO THE 'ALT' POS. ALTHOUGH THE ATC HAD ME IN CONTACT ON RADAR, THEY COULD ONLY ASSUME I HAD NO MODE C, SINCE IT WAS NOT ACTIVATED. CORRECTIVE ACTION: ASSURE TRANSPONDER IS IN THE 'ALT' POS, AND BE SURE I AM 'CLRED INTO TCA' BEFORE ENTERING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.