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Controller claims that transponder codes are not being picked up until 22 mi from the airport on a routine basis on jet aircraft operated by one airline company.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 202615 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199202 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dfw |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 600 msl bound upper : 14000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 202615 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : unable |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Air carrier X, an medium large transport, departed dfw at XX36Z. Transponder did not work until the aircraft was 22 mi north of dfw climbing out of 140. I received nothing but a primary target until 140. This is a daily occurrence at dfw with (airline name) jets. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. It is also a problem at ord. It is occurring with one particular airline in their medium large transport aircraft. It appears that a problem has been detected in the transponder equipment. The TCASII part of the transponder has not been hooked up yet. The airline and FAA at ord had a mtg to determine the causes and came up the transponder. It is not happening at den or sfo. Dfw has a LOA with the tower that states that all aircraft must autoacquire within 2 mi of airport or a manual handoff has to be made. There have been no incidents or conflicts. It does not happen with all similar aircraft, it is intermittent problem. The airline is either replacing the transponders, or replacing a part to correct the problem.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR CLAIMS THAT TRANSPONDER CODES ARE NOT BEING PICKED UP UNTIL 22 MI FROM THE ARPT ON A ROUTINE BASIS ON JET ACFT OPERATED BY ONE AIRLINE COMPANY.
Narrative: ACR X, AN MLG, DEPARTED DFW AT XX36Z. TRANSPONDER DID NOT WORK UNTIL THE ACFT WAS 22 MI N OF DFW CLBING OUT OF 140. I RECEIVED NOTHING BUT A PRIMARY TARGET UNTIL 140. THIS IS A DAILY OCCURRENCE AT DFW WITH (AIRLINE NAME) JETS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. IT IS ALSO A PROBLEM AT ORD. IT IS OCCURRING WITH ONE PARTICULAR AIRLINE IN THEIR MLG ACFT. IT APPEARS THAT A PROBLEM HAS BEEN DETECTED IN THE TRANSPONDER EQUIP. THE TCASII PART OF THE TRANSPONDER HAS NOT BEEN HOOKED UP YET. THE AIRLINE AND FAA AT ORD HAD A MTG TO DETERMINE THE CAUSES AND CAME UP THE TRANSPONDER. IT IS NOT HAPPENING AT DEN OR SFO. DFW HAS A LOA WITH THE TWR THAT STATES THAT ALL ACFT MUST AUTOACQUIRE WITHIN 2 MI OF ARPT OR A MANUAL HDOF HAS TO BE MADE. THERE HAVE BEEN NO INCIDENTS OR CONFLICTS. IT DOES NOT HAPPEN WITH ALL SIMILAR ACFT, IT IS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM. THE AIRLINE IS EITHER REPLACING THE TRANSPONDERS, OR REPLACING A PART TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM.
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.