Narrative:

Aircraft departed N44 (50 mi east of philadelphia international airport) climbed to 8500 ft. Wbound over philadelphia. TCA. Started letting down 10 mi west of philadelphia international airport stopped descent at 7100 ft to stay above philadelphia. TCA. A jet was descending to 6000 ft and claimed that I was either level or 500 ft above him. He passed 3 mi behind me. As I was VFR, I had no contact with philadelphia control until I landed at harrisburg airport when they advised me of this problem and they weren't receiving my transponder return. My plane had not flown in 6 weeks, the transponder was set on to 1200. Upon contact with harrisburg approach control, transponder was cycled to standby, then to mode C at which time it started to work. In the past, when asking for clearance through the philadelphia TCA, I have been told to remain clear of the TCA, and I have always done so. It seems the controllers have a very heavy workload with the IFR traffic and I have given up bothering them. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated was questioned as to why he did not remain at 8500 ft that he was descending to his destination airport. He had LORAN equipment on board which gave him indication of the class B airspace and when he was 10 mi beyond class B he knew it was enough distance to begin his letdown. He has learned from this experience that he needs to monitor the light on his transponder to determine if it is being interrogated and working properly. He has received a letter from the FAA indicating there will be no further action.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT REMAINS ABOVE CLASS B AIRSPACE BUT HAS CLOSE PROX WITH ACR DSNDING.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED N44 (50 MI E OF PHILADELPHIA INTL ARPT) CLBED TO 8500 FT. WBOUND OVER PHILADELPHIA. TCA. STARTED LETTING DOWN 10 MI W OF PHILADELPHIA INTL ARPT STOPPED DSCNT AT 7100 FT TO STAY ABOVE PHILADELPHIA. TCA. A JET WAS DSNDING TO 6000 FT AND CLAIMED THAT I WAS EITHER LEVEL OR 500 FT ABOVE HIM. HE PASSED 3 MI BEHIND ME. AS I WAS VFR, I HAD NO CONTACT WITH PHILADELPHIA CTL UNTIL I LANDED AT HARRISBURG ARPT WHEN THEY ADVISED ME OF THIS PROB AND THEY WEREN'T RECEIVING MY XPONDER RETURN. MY PLANE HAD NOT FLOWN IN 6 WKS, THE XPONDER WAS SET ON TO 1200. UPON CONTACT WITH HARRISBURG APCH CTL, XPONDER WAS CYCLED TO STANDBY, THEN TO MODE C AT WHICH TIME IT STARTED TO WORK. IN THE PAST, WHEN ASKING FOR CLRNC THROUGH THE PHILADELPHIA TCA, I HAVE BEEN TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF THE TCA, AND I HAVE ALWAYS DONE SO. IT SEEMS THE CTLRS HAVE A VERY HVY WORKLOAD WITH THE IFR TFC AND I HAVE GIVEN UP BOTHERING THEM. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WAS QUESTIONED AS TO WHY HE DID NOT REMAIN AT 8500 FT THAT HE WAS DSNDING TO HIS DEST ARPT. HE HAD LORAN EQUIP ON BOARD WHICH GAVE HIM INDICATION OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE AND WHEN HE WAS 10 MI BEYOND CLASS B HE KNEW IT WAS ENOUGH DISTANCE TO BEGIN HIS LETDOWN. HE HAS LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE THAT HE NEEDS TO MONITOR THE LIGHT ON HIS XPONDER TO DETERMINE IF IT IS BEING INTERROGATED AND WORKING PROPERLY. HE HAS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE FAA INDICATING THERE WILL BE NO FURTHER ACTION.

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.