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Mode C inoperative in class B airspace. Controller aware of this aircraft problem from previous flight.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 280986 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199408 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : f54 |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : dfw |
| Operator | general aviation : instructional |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | instruction : instructor |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 1020 flight time type : 300 |
| ASRS Report | 280986 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Shortly after departure from fort worth meacham airport, regional departure advised us that our mode C was inoperative. The controller asked us to recycle the transponder which we did several times. Each recycle of the transponder did not cause the mode C to operate. The controller asked where the aircraft was based and gave us a phone number to call. After landing, I called TRACON and spoke to mr X. He told me that when the aircraft had flown earlier that day, the mode C was inoperative. He had asked the PF at that time to advise the school that the aircraft was not to fly again until the mode C was fixed. The pilot of that flight did not say anything to me about the mode C problem and there was no squawk written up on it that I saw. Our mode C did come on line after handoff from mr X sector and performed flawlessly for the rest of the flight. Upon return to ftw, I told the chief mechanic at FBO about the problem and I grounded the aircraft. In the future, I suggest that when a controller has a problem with an aircraft's mode C that he call the school because when an aircraft is rented, it may fly several times in a day. There may also be several pilots who fly this aircraft and if one forgets to write up a problem the next pilot will have no knowledge it exists.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MODE C INOP IN CLASS B AIRSPACE. CTLR AWARE OF THIS ACFT PROB FROM PREVIOUS FLT.
Narrative: SHORTLY AFTER DEP FROM FORT WORTH MEACHAM ARPT, REGIONAL DEP ADVISED US THAT OUR MODE C WAS INOP. THE CTLR ASKED US TO RECYCLE THE XPONDER WHICH WE DID SEVERAL TIMES. EACH RECYCLE OF THE XPONDER DID NOT CAUSE THE MODE C TO OPERATE. THE CTLR ASKED WHERE THE ACFT WAS BASED AND GAVE US A PHONE NUMBER TO CALL. AFTER LNDG, I CALLED TRACON AND SPOKE TO MR X. HE TOLD ME THAT WHEN THE ACFT HAD FLOWN EARLIER THAT DAY, THE MODE C WAS INOP. HE HAD ASKED THE PF AT THAT TIME TO ADVISE THE SCHOOL THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT TO FLY AGAIN UNTIL THE MODE C WAS FIXED. THE PLT OF THAT FLT DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME ABOUT THE MODE C PROB AND THERE WAS NO SQUAWK WRITTEN UP ON IT THAT I SAW. OUR MODE C DID COME ON LINE AFTER HDOF FROM MR X SECTOR AND PERFORMED FLAWLESSLY FOR THE REST OF THE FLT. UPON RETURN TO FTW, I TOLD THE CHIEF MECH AT FBO ABOUT THE PROB AND I GNDED THE ACFT. IN THE FUTURE, I SUGGEST THAT WHEN A CTLR HAS A PROB WITH AN ACFT'S MODE C THAT HE CALL THE SCHOOL BECAUSE WHEN AN ACFT IS RENTED, IT MAY FLY SEVERAL TIMES IN A DAY. THERE MAY ALSO BE SEVERAL PLTS WHO FLY THIS ACFT AND IF ONE FORGETS TO WRITE UP A PROB THE NEXT PLT WILL HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE IT EXISTS.
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.