Small aircraft X far violation squawked unauthorized transponder code.

Attributes
ACN	201368
Time
Date	199202
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cos
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7500 msl bound upper : 7500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cos
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
ASRS Report	201368
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft X departed cos for publication. Climbing to 7500 departure control did not observe mode C and advised pilot to 'squawk altitude.' pilot entered 7500 in transponder. The incident was handled as per FAA procedures as an actual hijack, ('verify squawking 7500' etc etc) and the aircraft was met in publication. A simple change to the FAA handbook 7110.65 could help eliminate these misunderstandings, i.e. 'Squawk mode C.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X FAR VIOLATION SQUAWKED UNAUTHORIZED TRANSPONDER CODE.

Narrative: SMA X DEPARTED COS FOR PUB. CLBING TO 7500 DEP CTL DID NOT OBSERVE MODE C AND ADVISED PLT TO 'SQUAWK ALT.' PLT ENTERED 7500 IN TRANSPONDER. THE INCIDENT WAS HANDLED AS PER FAA PROCS AS AN ACTUAL HIJACK, ('VERIFY SQUAWKING 7500' ETC ETC) AND THE ACFT WAS MET IN PUB. A SIMPLE CHANGE TO THE FAA HANDBOOK 7110.65 COULD HELP ELIMINATE THESE MISUNDERSTANDINGS, I.E. 'SQUAWK MODE C.'

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.