Narrative:

While en route on a VFR training flight from van nuys to santa barbara, student pilot requested flight following and TA's from point magu approach. Point magu assigned a squawk code and later advised he was not receiving our transponder. Student recycled the transponder twice and later was told by point magu to squawk 1200 since he was not receiving us. We were not aware of any prior problem with this transponder. Additionally, the reply light was illuminating properly. Therefore, we continued our flight to santa barbara and decided to contact santa barbara approach well prior to entering the arsa (outer area) since we were aware of the transponder/mode C requirement to operate in on arsa. At this time, santa barbara approach assigned us a squawk code. Shortly thereafter, approach advised that he was not receiving our transponder and asked if our transponder was on. We replied affirmative and he later asked us to identify. We did so and continued flight per 91.88(C). The controller continued giving instructions to other aircraft and did not request anything further from us. I assumed he made contact and was receiving our transponder. We continued flight inbound to santa barbara and later requested to begin VFR descent to pattern altitude. At that time approach was, apparently, unaware of our position, advised he was not receiving us and to remain clear of the arsa. I advised approach of our position and that we were already in the arsa. He then asked that we turn to assigned headings for radar identify. Shortly thereafter we were advised to contact tower and the remainder of the flight was uneventful. Since it was a training flight and our intention was to return back to van nuys immediately, we contacted santa barbara clearance for a clearance. I centered my attention on the tasks involved with teaching and taxiing at an unfamiliar airport at night. I, regrettably, did not think about our earlier transponder problems. Student squawked the assigned code and we departed per instructions. After takeoff, departure advised he was not receiving our transponder and to copy a telephone number and to call the supervisor upon landing at van nuys. After speaking with the supervisor, I learned we should have advised clearance delivery of the nature of our transponder problem and request special departure instructions as per far 91.24(D)(3).

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA ENTERED SBA ARSA LANDED AND DEPARTED SBA WITH INOP MODE C.

Narrative: WHILE ENRTE ON A VFR TRAINING FLT FROM VAN NUYS TO SANTA BARBARA, STUDENT PLT REQUESTED FLT FOLLOWING AND TA'S FROM POINT MAGU APCH. POINT MAGU ASSIGNED A SQUAWK CODE AND LATER ADVISED HE WAS NOT RECEIVING OUR TRANSPONDER. STUDENT RECYCLED THE TRANSPONDER TWICE AND LATER WAS TOLD BY POINT MAGU TO SQUAWK 1200 SINCE HE WAS NOT RECEIVING US. WE WERE NOT AWARE OF ANY PRIOR PROBLEM WITH THIS TRANSPONDER. ADDITIONALLY, THE REPLY LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATING PROPERLY. THEREFORE, WE CONTINUED OUR FLT TO SANTA BARBARA AND DECIDED TO CONTACT SANTA BARBARA APCH WELL PRIOR TO ENTERING THE ARSA (OUTER AREA) SINCE WE WERE AWARE OF THE TRANSPONDER/MODE C REQUIREMENT TO OPERATE IN ON ARSA. AT THIS TIME, SANTA BARBARA APCH ASSIGNED US A SQUAWK CODE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, APCH ADVISED THAT HE WAS NOT RECEIVING OUR TRANSPONDER AND ASKED IF OUR TRANSPONDER WAS ON. WE REPLIED AFFIRMATIVE AND HE LATER ASKED US TO IDENT. WE DID SO AND CONTINUED FLT PER 91.88(C). THE CTLR CONTINUED GIVING INSTRUCTIONS TO OTHER ACFT AND DID NOT REQUEST ANYTHING FURTHER FROM US. I ASSUMED HE MADE CONTACT AND WAS RECEIVING OUR TRANSPONDER. WE CONTINUED FLT INBOUND TO SANTA BARBARA AND LATER REQUESTED TO BEGIN VFR DSCNT TO PATTERN ALT. AT THAT TIME APCH WAS, APPARENTLY, UNAWARE OF OUR POS, ADVISED HE WAS NOT RECEIVING US AND TO REMAIN CLR OF THE ARSA. I ADVISED APCH OF OUR POS AND THAT WE WERE ALREADY IN THE ARSA. HE THEN ASKED THAT WE TURN TO ASSIGNED HDGS FOR RADAR IDENT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER WE WERE ADVISED TO CONTACT TWR AND THE REMAINDER OF THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL. SINCE IT WAS A TRAINING FLT AND OUR INTENTION WAS TO RETURN BACK TO VAN NUYS IMMEDIATELY, WE CONTACTED SANTA BARBARA CLRNC FOR A CLRNC. I CENTERED MY ATTN ON THE TASKS INVOLVED WITH TEACHING AND TAXIING AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT AT NIGHT. I, REGRETTABLY, DID NOT THINK ABOUT OUR EARLIER TRANSPONDER PROBLEMS. STUDENT SQUAWKED THE ASSIGNED CODE AND WE DEPARTED PER INSTRUCTIONS. AFTER TKOF, DEP ADVISED HE WAS NOT RECEIVING OUR TRANSPONDER AND TO COPY A TELEPHONE NUMBER AND TO CALL THE SUPVR UPON LNDG AT VAN NUYS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH THE SUPVR, I LEARNED WE SHOULD HAVE ADVISED CLRNC DELIVERY OF THE NATURE OF OUR TRANSPONDER PROBLEM AND REQUEST SPECIAL DEP INSTRUCTIONS AS PER FAR 91.24(D)(3).

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.