The occasional use of beacon code subset 5200 by muha, mmid, and handled by ZMA causes a 'V' to be d...

Attributes
ACN	327749
Time
Date	199602
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : php
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : mmid artcc : zma artcc : muha tracon : mia
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 6 controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	327749
Person 2
Affiliation	government other
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : non radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Aircraft flying from mexico to mia, IFR. Merida center or havana center assigns beacon codes. Non-radar information is passed to ZMA, ie, altitude, fix, time, and beacon code. Occasionally, a beacon code is assigned of the 5200 subset (aircraft code is 52XX). When these aircraft enter miami approach airspace, the targets appear as 'vs' and the approach controllers assume that the aircraft are VFR even if on an IFR clearance. The only prevention in this chain is the hope (and direction) that a center controller will reassign a code not in the 5200 subset. No one should assume VFR without some other indication. ZMA computer should not allow assignment of 5200 subset. Miami approach should not automatically assume an aircraft is VFR when the center puts the aircraft in an IFR arrival gate at an IFR altitude. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that the controllers at ZMA have been asked not to use beacon code subset 5200. He stated that mia approach uses the 5200 subset for specific aircraft operations and that there is an attempt to find and use another beacon subset in lieu of the 5200 subset. Reporter stated he caught and changed the code of an aircraft using the 5200 subset today. Reporter also stated he has filed a ucr on the 5200 subset problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: THE OCCASIONAL USE OF BEACON CODE SUBSET 5200 BY MUHA, MMID, AND HANDLED BY ZMA CAUSES A 'V' TO BE DISPLAYED IN THE DATA BLOCK OF AN ACFT HANDLED BY MIA APCH CTL WHICH INDICATES TO THE CTLR THAT THE ACFT IS VFR WHEN IT IS ACTUALLY IFR.

Narrative: ACFT FLYING FROM MEXICO TO MIA, IFR. MERIDA CTR OR HAVANA CTR ASSIGNS BEACON CODES. NON-RADAR INFO IS PASSED TO ZMA, IE, ALT, FIX, TIME, AND BEACON CODE. OCCASIONALLY, A BEACON CODE IS ASSIGNED OF THE 5200 SUBSET (ACFT CODE IS 52XX). WHEN THESE ACFT ENTER MIAMI APCH AIRSPACE, THE TARGETS APPEAR AS 'VS' AND THE APCH CTLRS ASSUME THAT THE ACFT ARE VFR EVEN IF ON AN IFR CLRNC. THE ONLY PREVENTION IN THIS CHAIN IS THE HOPE (AND DIRECTION) THAT A CTR CTLR WILL REASSIGN A CODE NOT IN THE 5200 SUBSET. NO ONE SHOULD ASSUME VFR WITHOUT SOME OTHER INDICATION. ZMA COMPUTER SHOULD NOT ALLOW ASSIGNMENT OF 5200 SUBSET. MIAMI APCH SHOULD NOT AUTOMATICALLY ASSUME AN ACFT IS VFR WHEN THE CTR PUTS THE ACFT IN AN IFR ARR GATE AT AN IFR ALT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT THE CTLRS AT ZMA HAVE BEEN ASKED NOT TO USE BEACON CODE SUBSET 5200. HE STATED THAT MIA APCH USES THE 5200 SUBSET FOR SPECIFIC ACFT OPS AND THAT THERE IS AN ATTEMPT TO FIND AND USE ANOTHER BEACON SUBSET IN LIEU OF THE 5200 SUBSET. RPTR STATED HE CAUGHT AND CHANGED THE CODE OF AN ACFT USING THE 5200 SUBSET TODAY. RPTR ALSO STATED HE HAS FILED A UCR ON THE 5200 SUBSET PROB.

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.

The occasional use of beacon code subset 5200 by muha, mmid, and handled by ZMA causes a 'V' to be displayed in the data block of an aircraft handled by mia approach control which indicates to the controller that the aircraft is VFR when it is actually IFR.