Alleged TCA penetration by atx on a ferry flight.

Attributes
ACN	143493
Time
Date	199004
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8500 msl bound upper : 10500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 100 flight time total : 19000 flight time type : 6000
ASRS Report	143493
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 80 flight time total : 3100 flight time type : 800
ASRS Report	143624
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

The problem arose during a routine ferry flight from detroit to mc allen, tx, with a fuel stop in beaumont, tx. The WX was clear with an isolated thunderstorm somewhere west of mem and some early morning haze along the gulf coast. The initial climb from detroit was to 8500' MSL for a ground speed check and then to 10500' MSL. Upon reaching beaumont there was a message for us to call the tower in mem. 'Yep,' the supervisor said, 'you flew through our TCA about 10 west of the airport at 8500', and then climbed to 10500'.' when I asked him if he had the right aircraft, he said 'yes,' proudly, 'we tracked you all the way to beaumont.' then I asked if I was getting violated and he indicated that I would. So he got my name and address and we said goodbye. Discussing this matter with my first officer we agreed that we had been having some minor errors on our mode C, but at times seemed accurate. Why a large error like this should suddenly appear we didn't know. Then we remembered another aircraft we have recently had a major mode C problem like this, but never got anyone in trouble like this one just did. It appears to me, that with big brother and eager to prosecute, we should not be using mode C unless one is in radio contact with ATC to verify its accuracy. I'm a working pilot and I don't have the time or money to do battle over something like this with the FAA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ALLEGED TCA PENETRATION BY ATX ON A FERRY FLT.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DURING A ROUTINE FERRY FLT FROM DETROIT TO MC ALLEN, TX, WITH A FUEL STOP IN BEAUMONT, TX. THE WX WAS CLEAR WITH AN ISOLATED TSTM SOMEWHERE W OF MEM AND SOME EARLY MORNING HAZE ALONG THE GULF COAST. THE INITIAL CLB FROM DETROIT WAS TO 8500' MSL FOR A GND SPD CHECK AND THEN TO 10500' MSL. UPON REACHING BEAUMONT THERE WAS A MESSAGE FOR US TO CALL THE TWR IN MEM. 'YEP,' THE SUPVR SAID, 'YOU FLEW THROUGH OUR TCA ABOUT 10 W OF THE ARPT AT 8500', AND THEN CLBED TO 10500'.' WHEN I ASKED HIM IF HE HAD THE RIGHT ACFT, HE SAID 'YES,' PROUDLY, 'WE TRACKED YOU ALL THE WAY TO BEAUMONT.' THEN I ASKED IF I WAS GETTING VIOLATED AND HE INDICATED THAT I WOULD. SO HE GOT MY NAME AND ADDRESS AND WE SAID GOODBYE. DISCUSSING THIS MATTER WITH MY F/O WE AGREED THAT WE HAD BEEN HAVING SOME MINOR ERRORS ON OUR MODE C, BUT AT TIMES SEEMED ACCURATE. WHY A LARGE ERROR LIKE THIS SHOULD SUDDENLY APPEAR WE DIDN'T KNOW. THEN WE REMEMBERED ANOTHER ACFT WE HAVE RECENTLY HAD A MAJOR MODE C PROB LIKE THIS, BUT NEVER GOT ANYONE IN TROUBLE LIKE THIS ONE JUST DID. IT APPEARS TO ME, THAT WITH BIG BROTHER AND EAGER TO PROSECUTE, WE SHOULD NOT BE USING MODE C UNLESS ONE IS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH ATC TO VERIFY ITS ACCURACY. I'M A WORKING PLT AND I DON'T HAVE THE TIME OR MONEY TO DO BATTLE OVER SOMETHING LIKE THIS WITH THE FAA.

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.