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A BE1900 first officer's report on entering class a airspace with a unreliable transponder, mode C on frequency with ZHU, tx.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 523093 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200108 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zhu.artcc |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tracon : msy.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Beech 1900 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument pilot : multi engine |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 250 flight time total : 1380 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 523093 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | aircraft equipment problem : less severe airspace violation : entry maintenance problem : improper maintenance non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory other |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew other other Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Company Aircraft Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
Narrative:
The acfts mode C transponder went from occasional erroneous reading to continuously giving erroneous readings. We believe ATC was often alerted by seemingly large altitude fluctuations with plus or minus 2000 ft or more! We 'MEL' wrote up the mode C, and captain got the appropriate paper work to finish 2 more part 121 flts, and also a part 31 ferry flight after the 2 121 flts. The aircraft has a recent history of mode C transponder problems. Our maintenance department has replaced and worked on many components affecting mode C various times. This was during air carrier flight shv-msy, ZHU and new orleans approach/departure may have had problems with our mode C.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: A BE1900 FO'S REPORT ON ENTERING CLASS A AIRSPACE WITH A UNRELIABLE TRANSPONDER, MODE C ON FREQ WITH ZHU, TX.
Narrative: THE ACFTS MODE C TRANSPONDER WENT FROM OCCASIONAL ERRONEOUS READING TO CONTINUOUSLY GIVING ERRONEOUS READINGS. WE BELIEVE ATC WAS OFTEN ALERTED BY SEEMINGLY LARGE ALTITUDE FLUCTUATIONS WITH PLUS OR MINUS 2000 FT OR MORE! WE 'MEL' WROTE UP THE MODE C, AND CAPT GOT THE APPROPRIATE PAPER WORK TO FINISH 2 MORE PART 121 FLTS, AND ALSO A PART 31 FERRY FLT AFTER THE 2 121 FLTS. THE ACFT HAS A RECENT HISTORY OF MODE C TRANSPONDER PROBLEMS. OUR MAINT DEPT HAS REPLACED AND WORKED ON MANY COMPONENTS AFFECTING MODE C VARIOUS TIMES. THIS WAS DURING ACR FLT SHV-MSY, ZHU AND NEW ORLEANS APCH/DEP MAY HAVE HAD PROBLEMS WITH OUR MODE C.
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.