Small aircraft flies above 10000 ft with no operating transponder.

Attributes
ACN	251056
Time
Date	199309
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bno
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11500 msl bound upper : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : msp
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 24 flight time total : 20000 flight time type : 700
ASRS Report	251056
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Filed flight plan using 11500 ft with aircraft that did not have an operating and current transponder. I discovered my error yesterday while reviewing an AOPA airspace reference card, which I might add is very well done and easy to understand. Contributing factors: long time since I had made such a flight under these parameters and while I do review FARS from time to time, I missed the change requiring mode C xponders above 10000 ft. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that in retrospect he realized that no one else had picked up on his mistake either. FSS did not catch the error when flight plan filed. No controller along the way said anything to him about erroneous altitude with no transponder. Does not know how he missed the 10000 ft altitude change. Has never flown an aircraft without a working transponder so it was never before a question. Since knowing the regulation he had not flown above 10000 ft and will not until he gets his transponder installed again. Filed reports mainly to indicate how easily things can slip by a pilot as he has had 2 BFR's and information never known to him.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA FLIES ABOVE 10000 FT WITH NO OPERATING XPONDER.

Narrative: FILED FLT PLAN USING 11500 FT WITH ACFT THAT DID NOT HAVE AN OPERATING AND CURRENT XPONDER. I DISCOVERED MY ERROR YESTERDAY WHILE REVIEWING AN AOPA AIRSPACE REF CARD, WHICH I MIGHT ADD IS VERY WELL DONE AND EASY TO UNDERSTAND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LONG TIME SINCE I HAD MADE SUCH A FLT UNDER THESE PARAMETERS AND WHILE I DO REVIEW FARS FROM TIME TO TIME, I MISSED THE CHANGE REQUIRING MODE C XPONDERS ABOVE 10000 FT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT IN RETROSPECT HE REALIZED THAT NO ONE ELSE HAD PICKED UP ON HIS MISTAKE EITHER. FSS DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR WHEN FLT PLAN FILED. NO CTLR ALONG THE WAY SAID ANYTHING TO HIM ABOUT ERRONEOUS ALT WITH NO XPONDER. DOES NOT KNOW HOW HE MISSED THE 10000 FT ALT CHANGE. HAS NEVER FLOWN AN ACFT WITHOUT A WORKING XPONDER SO IT WAS NEVER BEFORE A QUESTION. SINCE KNOWING THE REG HE HAD NOT FLOWN ABOVE 10000 FT AND WILL NOT UNTIL HE GETS HIS XPONDER INSTALLED AGAIN. FILED RPTS MAINLY TO INDICATE HOW EASILY THINGS CAN SLIP BY A PLT AS HE HAS HAD 2 BFR'S AND INFO NEVER KNOWN TO HIM.

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.