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A private pilot was told to remain clear of class C airspace because the aircraft's communication radios and transponder mode C did not work properly. The pilot was operating below the floor of the class C outer circle and wanted to fly into class C airspace in order to take a picture.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332610 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : tul |
| State Reference | OK |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 2100 msl bound upper : 2300 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : tul |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other |
| Flight Plan | None |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument pilot : private |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 35 flight time total : 600 flight time type : 250 |
| ASRS Report | 332610 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : overcame equipment problem other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
When flying just south of tul, I tried to establish contact with both tul approach and tul tower to get clearance into class C airspace to take a picture. I was currently south of controled area (and beneath it at 2000 ft MSL). There was trouble establishing good communications and we didn't get cleared in. At one point, however, our altitude readout was not being received by tulsa. After resetting the radio, the problem was fixed with the transponder mode C, but our radio never did work. A safety suggestion for manufacturers which I could recommend after this occurrence would be to incorporate an audible and visual alarm on xponders which would further alert the pilot that the altitude data was not being sent (when set to the altitude mode). Tul approach could have been caused confusion when this happened along with complications with traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A PVT PLT WAS TOLD TO REMAIN CLR OF CLASS C AIRSPACE BECAUSE THE ACFT'S COM RADIOS AND XPONDER MODE C DID NOT WORK PROPERLY. THE PLT WAS OPERATING BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE CLASS C OUTER CIRCLE AND WANTED TO FLY INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE IN ORDER TO TAKE A PICTURE.
Narrative: WHEN FLYING JUST S OF TUL, I TRIED TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITH BOTH TUL APCH AND TUL TWR TO GET CLRNC INTO CLASS C AIRSPACE TO TAKE A PICTURE. I WAS CURRENTLY S OF CTLED AREA (AND BENEATH IT AT 2000 FT MSL). THERE WAS TROUBLE ESTABLISHING GOOD COMS AND WE DIDN'T GET CLRED IN. AT ONE POINT, HOWEVER, OUR ALT READOUT WAS NOT BEING RECEIVED BY TULSA. AFTER RESETTING THE RADIO, THE PROB WAS FIXED WITH THE XPONDER MODE C, BUT OUR RADIO NEVER DID WORK. A SAFETY SUGGESTION FOR MANUFACTURERS WHICH I COULD RECOMMEND AFTER THIS OCCURRENCE WOULD BE TO INCORPORATE AN AUDIBLE AND VISUAL ALARM ON XPONDERS WHICH WOULD FURTHER ALERT THE PLT THAT THE ALT DATA WAS NOT BEING SENT (WHEN SET TO THE ALT MODE). TUL APCH COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED CONFUSION WHEN THIS HAPPENED ALONG WITH COMPLICATIONS WITH TFC.
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.