Narrative:

I was flying an small aircraft with transponder but no mode C. On a VFR flight from greeley, co, to durango, co, and back to greeley. On the return trip I crossed I-70 at least 5 mi west of golden, co and flew directly to the boulder airport where I turned to track the 035 degree right to gill VOR (112.8). Even though I had no DME, I was constantly (and conscientiously) avoiding the den TCA at all times. I was in no hurry, the WX was beautiful and I am thoroughly aware of what consequences follow entry into a TCA west/O clearance. I landed at greeley weld county airport at approximately xx pm, on 12/88. Upon my arrival at early pm (local FBO), the unicom called to say an aircraft which landed in the area at about the same time I did had busted the den TCA with the mode C showing 19500' MSL. I was never above 12000' MSL nor do I believe that I ever came within 2 mi of the den TCA. I am aware of the proper procedures to follow to obtain and comply with clearance through the TCA. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter states aircraft had no mode C, did have transponder, so impossible for ATC to track him at any altitude. Had 4 people aboard his small aircraft so not able to climb to that altitude. He is extremely conscientious about TCA avoidance because he knows the consequences of entering west/O clearance.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEN ARTCC ACCUSES PLT OF TCA PENETRATION BASED ON MODE C READOUT. PLT'S ACFT WAS NOT MODE C EQUIPPED, AND NEVER FLEW AT ALT SPECIFIED IN ATC ACCUSATION.

Narrative: I WAS FLYING AN SMA WITH XPONDER BUT NO MODE C. ON A VFR FLT FROM GREELEY, CO, TO DURANGO, CO, AND BACK TO GREELEY. ON THE RETURN TRIP I CROSSED I-70 AT LEAST 5 MI W OF GOLDEN, CO AND FLEW DIRECTLY TO THE BOULDER ARPT WHERE I TURNED TO TRACK THE 035 DEG R TO GILL VOR (112.8). EVEN THOUGH I HAD NO DME, I WAS CONSTANTLY (AND CONSCIENTIOUSLY) AVOIDING THE DEN TCA AT ALL TIMES. I WAS IN NO HURRY, THE WX WAS BEAUTIFUL AND I AM THOROUGHLY AWARE OF WHAT CONSEQUENCES FOLLOW ENTRY INTO A TCA W/O CLRNC. I LANDED AT GREELEY WELD COUNTY ARPT AT APPROX XX PM, ON 12/88. UPON MY ARR AT EARLY PM (LCL FBO), THE UNICOM CALLED TO SAY AN ACFT WHICH LANDED IN THE AREA AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME I DID HAD BUSTED THE DEN TCA WITH THE MODE C SHOWING 19500' MSL. I WAS NEVER ABOVE 12000' MSL NOR DO I BELIEVE THAT I EVER CAME WITHIN 2 MI OF THE DEN TCA. I AM AWARE OF THE PROPER PROCS TO FOLLOW TO OBTAIN AND COMPLY WITH CLRNC THROUGH THE TCA. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR STATES ACFT HAD NO MODE C, DID HAVE XPONDER, SO IMPOSSIBLE FOR ATC TO TRACK HIM AT ANY ALT. HAD 4 PEOPLE ABOARD HIS SMA SO NOT ABLE TO CLB TO THAT ALT. HE IS EXTREMELY CONSCIENTIOUS ABOUT TCA AVOIDANCE BECAUSE HE KNOWS THE CONSEQUENCES OF ENTERING W/O CLRNC.

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.