Private pilot, back from a long layoff from flying flies in proximity of TCA and under and within th...

Attributes
ACN	263390
Time
Date	199402
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vny
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax artcc : zny
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 3 flight time total : 590 flight time type : 100
ASRS Report	263390
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After 1 1/2 hour hiatus from flying, I got checked out to rent aircraft from local flying club. On aircraft used in past, transponder had only on/off setting. When turned 'on' mode C was automatic. In rental aircraft, transponder had standby/on/altitude settings, altitude=mode C. During check ride I only turned transponder to 'on' setting, instructor pointed out need for 'altitude' setting for mode C. I should have made a note of this on checklist. I took off on second flight since chkride. After start-up I turned knob on transponder and noted the yellow return light flashed. I took off from cma, and proceeded east over san fernando valley. I stayed above bur arsa, then turned south under lax TCA 4900-2500 ft and 5500 ft, and then followed coast west back to cma. About 1/2 way through flight I noted transponder was only set on 'standby.' I immediately set to 'on.' about 10 mins later, I remembered I needed 'altitude' setting for encoder. During preflight I used a generic checklist. I have now made my own copy of checklist and highlighted transponder check and added note about checking for 'altitude' setting. When switching aircraft I need to be extra alert about differences in equipment, and checking operation of equipment. Also, during flight, I monitored bur approach and sna approach. At one point I heard controller give traffic as eastbound, altitude unknown. That should have tipped me off to check my transponder settings, but it didn't occur to me at first, that I wasn't in mode C.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PVT PLT, BACK FROM A LONG LAYOFF FROM FLYING FLIES IN PROX OF TCA AND UNDER AND WITHIN THE 30 MI VEIL WITHOUT BENEFIT OF XPONDER ON MODE C.

Narrative: AFTER 1 1/2 HR HIATUS FROM FLYING, I GOT CHKED OUT TO RENT ACFT FROM LCL FLYING CLUB. ON ACFT USED IN PAST, XPONDER HAD ONLY ON/OFF SETTING. WHEN TURNED 'ON' MODE C WAS AUTOMATIC. IN RENTAL ACFT, XPONDER HAD STANDBY/ON/ALT SETTINGS, ALT=MODE C. DURING CHK RIDE I ONLY TURNED XPONDER TO 'ON' SETTING, INSTRUCTOR POINTED OUT NEED FOR 'ALT' SETTING FOR MODE C. I SHOULD HAVE MADE A NOTE OF THIS ON CHKLIST. I TOOK OFF ON SECOND FLT SINCE CHKRIDE. AFTER START-UP I TURNED KNOB ON XPONDER AND NOTED THE YELLOW RETURN LIGHT FLASHED. I TOOK OFF FROM CMA, AND PROCEEDED E OVER SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. I STAYED ABOVE BUR ARSA, THEN TURNED S UNDER LAX TCA 4900-2500 FT AND 5500 FT, AND THEN FOLLOWED COAST W BACK TO CMA. ABOUT 1/2 WAY THROUGH FLT I NOTED XPONDER WAS ONLY SET ON 'STANDBY.' I IMMEDIATELY SET TO 'ON.' ABOUT 10 MINS LATER, I REMEMBERED I NEEDED 'ALT' SETTING FOR ENCODER. DURING PREFLT I USED A GENERIC CHKLIST. I HAVE NOW MADE MY OWN COPY OF CHKLIST AND HIGHLIGHTED XPONDER CHK AND ADDED NOTE ABOUT CHKING FOR 'ALT' SETTING. WHEN SWITCHING ACFT I NEED TO BE EXTRA ALERT ABOUT DIFFERENCES IN EQUIP, AND CHKING OP OF EQUIP. ALSO, DURING FLT, I MONITORED BUR APCH AND SNA APCH. AT ONE POINT I HEARD CTLR GIVE TFC AS EBOUND, ALT UNKNOWN. THAT SHOULD HAVE TIPPED ME OFF TO CHK MY XPONDER SETTINGS, BUT IT DIDN'T OCCUR TO ME AT FIRST, THAT I WASN'T IN 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.

Private pilot, back from a long layoff from flying flies in proximity of TCA and under and within the 30 mi veil without benefit of transponder on mode C.