Aircraft climbed above 10000 ft MSL without operable transponder.

Attributes
ACN	429403
Time
Date	199902
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	intersection : cabzo
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 11500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Weather Elements	Turbulence
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : abq.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other vortac
Flight Phase	cruise : enroute altitude change descent : vacating altitude
Route In Use	approach : visual enroute airway : v187.airway
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 29 flight time total : 151 flight time type : 111
ASRS Report	429403
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : far
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

On ground at fmn, over-voltage light illuminated and ammeter showed discharge. Returned to ramp, reset successfully, departed fmn. On climb out, noticed light illuminated again. Elected to continue flight to abq with intention of reducing electrical load en route. Once 720 mi southeast of fmn, I shut off master switch to preserve battery power, navigating with handheld VOR receiver and pilotage. Encountered light turbulence en route at 9500 ft. Approaching vicinity of cabso intersection, I encountered sharper turbulence. Anticipating more intense turbulence over area of higher ground between my position and albuquerque, I elected to climb to the next higher VFR altitude for my direction of flight, 11500 ft. I neglected to consider that it would be against regulations to exceed 10000 ft till the transponder deactivated. At approximately 25 mi from abq VOR on about 325 degree radial, I turned the electrical system on and activated transponder while descending out of 11500 ft. I notified approach of my charging problem and we agreed upon a lost communications procedure. I landed at abq without incident. It only occurred to me after the flight while driving home that I had broken a regulation (far part 91.215). Factors: inexperience and excessive concern about turbulence, failure to consider whether climb to 11500 ft was legal, perhaps excessive concern for convenience of myself (get homeitis) and for owner of aircraft (whose repair facilities are at albuquerque).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT CLBED ABOVE 10000 FT MSL WITHOUT OPERABLE XPONDER.

Narrative: ON GND AT FMN, OVER-VOLTAGE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND AMMETER SHOWED DISCHARGE. RETURNED TO RAMP, RESET SUCCESSFULLY, DEPARTED FMN. ON CLBOUT, NOTICED LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. ELECTED TO CONTINUE FLT TO ABQ WITH INTENTION OF REDUCING ELECTRICAL LOAD ENRTE. ONCE 720 MI SE OF FMN, I SHUT OFF MASTER SWITCH TO PRESERVE BATTERY PWR, NAVING WITH HANDHELD VOR RECEIVER AND PILOTAGE. ENCOUNTERED LIGHT TURB ENRTE AT 9500 FT. APCHING VICINITY OF CABSO INTXN, I ENCOUNTERED SHARPER TURB. ANTICIPATING MORE INTENSE TURB OVER AREA OF HIGHER GND BTWN MY POS AND ALBUQUERQUE, I ELECTED TO CLB TO THE NEXT HIGHER VFR ALT FOR MY DIRECTION OF FLT, 11500 FT. I NEGLECTED TO CONSIDER THAT IT WOULD BE AGAINST REGS TO EXCEED 10000 FT TILL THE XPONDER DEACTIVATED. AT APPROX 25 MI FROM ABQ VOR ON ABOUT 325 DEG RADIAL, I TURNED THE ELECTRICAL SYS ON AND ACTIVATED XPONDER WHILE DSNDING OUT OF 11500 FT. I NOTIFIED APCH OF MY CHARGING PROB AND WE AGREED UPON A LOST COMS PROC. I LANDED AT ABQ WITHOUT INCIDENT. IT ONLY OCCURRED TO ME AFTER THE FLT WHILE DRIVING HOME THAT I HAD BROKEN A REG (FAR PART 91.215). FACTORS: INEXPERIENCE AND EXCESSIVE CONCERN ABOUT TURB, FAILURE TO CONSIDER WHETHER CLB TO 11500 FT WAS LEGAL, PERHAPS EXCESSIVE CONCERN FOR CONVENIENCE OF MYSELF (GET HOMEITIS) AND FOR OWNER OF ACFT (WHOSE REPAIR FACILITIES ARE AT ALBUQUERQUE).

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.