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Flight of small transport flagstaff to phoenix was alleged by center to have flown at 20400 MSL. Reporter states he flew at 9500 MSL.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 115233 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198906 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 9500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab tracon : phx |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zab |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial |
| ASRS Report | 115233 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
A flight from flagstaff to phx. I flew at an altitude of 9500 with local altimeter setting of 30.31 until about 40 DME north of phx, started my descent down to 5500. At 25 DME I called phx approach for lakes arrival and received a squawk code and altitude verification of 5000 descending, cleared lakes arrival. After landing phx ground control called me for a message to call phx TRACON. I called and talked with the supervisor who stated that 'abq center tracked me at 20,400' from flagstaff to phx and there was a possible violation'. I called ZAB to check on it, I talked with center supervisor and explained the problem. He appreciated my call and as far as he was concerned the matter was dropped. A bad transponder mode C readout. Now these aircraft are small aircraft with standard avionics. There have been two incidents of this kind within the last 2 weeks, from ZAB (2 separate incidents). Is it possible something's wrong with center radar? Or bad transponders?
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: FLT OF SMT FLAGSTAFF TO PHOENIX WAS ALLEGED BY CENTER TO HAVE FLOWN AT 20400 MSL. REPORTER STATES HE FLEW AT 9500 MSL.
Narrative: A FLT FROM FLAGSTAFF TO PHX. I FLEW AT AN ALT OF 9500 WITH LCL ALTIMETER SETTING OF 30.31 UNTIL ABOUT 40 DME N OF PHX, STARTED MY DSCNT DOWN TO 5500. AT 25 DME I CALLED PHX APCH FOR LAKES ARR AND RECEIVED A SQUAWK CODE AND ALT VERIFICATION OF 5000 DESCENDING, CLRED LAKES ARR. AFTER LNDG PHX GND CTL CALLED ME FOR A MESSAGE TO CALL PHX TRACON. I CALLED AND TALKED WITH THE SUPVR WHO STATED THAT 'ABQ CENTER TRACKED ME AT 20,400' FROM FLAGSTAFF TO PHX AND THERE WAS A POSSIBLE VIOLATION'. I CALLED ZAB TO CHECK ON IT, I TALKED WITH CENTER SUPVR AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM. HE APPRECIATED MY CALL AND AS FAR AS HE WAS CONCERNED THE MATTER WAS DROPPED. A BAD XPONDER MODE C READOUT. NOW THESE ACFT ARE SMA WITH STANDARD AVIONICS. THERE HAVE BEEN TWO INCIDENTS OF THIS KIND WITHIN THE LAST 2 WEEKS, FROM ZAB (2 SEPARATE INCIDENTS). IS IT POSSIBLE SOMETHING'S WRONG WITH CENTER RADAR? OR BAD TRANSPONDERS?
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.