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On previous legs, the small aircraft had been advised his mode C was not operating. They then left sjc on the assumption that the bad mode C was intermittent and they could depend on it working on this flight. Wishful thinking.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 357760 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199701 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : sjc airport : oar |
| State Reference | CA |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : oak |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial climbout : takeoff ground : preflight |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : cfi |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 30 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 800 |
| ASRS Report | 357760 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | observation : observer |
| Qualification | other other : other |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Well into the 'mode C 30 NM' area for sfo, ATC advised us that we had no mode C. With ATC flight following, we proceeded to overfly hwd and rhv (for aerial photography purposes) and then to a landing at sjc. At virtually all times, we were in communication with and received approval of various ATC units (ZOA, bay approach, hwd tower, oak tower, rhv tower, and sjc tower). We departed sjc at XX30 pm towards our destination oar under the assumption that our mode C problem was intermittent (as it had been on previous, similar occasions) and that it would function normally upon departing sjc. On climb out from sjc, sjc departure said our mode C was not reporting correctly and we should/did 'stop altitude squawk.' we left the area. Previous of this flight, our local avionics shop had installed and tested a new transponder in this plane.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ON PREVIOUS LEGS, THE SMA HAD BEEN ADVISED HIS MODE C WAS NOT OPERATING. THEY THEN LEFT SJC ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THE BAD MODE C WAS INTERMITTENT AND THEY COULD DEPEND ON IT WORKING ON THIS FLT. WISHFUL THINKING.
Narrative: WELL INTO THE 'MODE C 30 NM' AREA FOR SFO, ATC ADVISED US THAT WE HAD NO MODE C. WITH ATC FLT FOLLOWING, WE PROCEEDED TO OVERFLY HWD AND RHV (FOR AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY PURPOSES) AND THEN TO A LNDG AT SJC. AT VIRTUALLY ALL TIMES, WE WERE IN COM WITH AND RECEIVED APPROVAL OF VARIOUS ATC UNITS (ZOA, BAY APCH, HWD TWR, OAK TWR, RHV TWR, AND SJC TWR). WE DEPARTED SJC AT XX30 PM TOWARDS OUR DEST OAR UNDER THE ASSUMPTION THAT OUR MODE C PROB WAS INTERMITTENT (AS IT HAD BEEN ON PREVIOUS, SIMILAR OCCASIONS) AND THAT IT WOULD FUNCTION NORMALLY UPON DEPARTING SJC. ON CLBOUT FROM SJC, SJC DEP SAID OUR MODE C WAS NOT RPTING CORRECTLY AND WE SHOULD/DID 'STOP ALT SQUAWK.' WE LEFT THE AREA. PREVIOUS OF THIS FLT, OUR LCL AVIONICS SHOP HAD INSTALLED AND TESTED A NEW XPONDER IN THIS PLANE.
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.