Pilot of PA28 reports he was improperly directed to squawk VFR code within dc ADIZ. Contacted by pct...

Attributes
ACN	577204
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : bal.vortac
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-28 Cherokee Arrow IV
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 117 flight time total : 3185 flight time type : 40.2
ASRS Report	577204
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical non adherence : far non adherence : clearance non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : 4radar
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : assigned or threatened penalties faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Environmental Factor Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance Aircraft
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation
Situations
Airspace Structure	special use : dcadiz.othersua

Narrative:

Xa:45 sun, I was en route from anp to bay bridge airport (W29) on a VFR flight plan. I was communicating with pct TRACON squawking a discrete code. Approximately eight miles southwest of W29, baltimore approach asked if I had W29 in sight. I indicated 'airport in sight' and was instructed from what I recall to squawk VFR and switch to advisory frequency. I believe my readback was 'squawking VFR and switching to advisory.' I retuned the transponder with 1200 and continued communicating on 123.00. I entered a left downwind, conducted a before landing check, and noticed an unsafe gear indication. I did not see a 'three-in-the-green' gear indication for the landing gear. I immediately departed the traffic pattern, climbed to 2000 ft MSL and loitered approximately five NM south of W29 to solve the gear problem. I announced my actions on 123.00. After approximately five mins, I solved the gear problem, reentered the traffic pattern, and landed at W29. After landing at W29, I called pct, I explained to them that I was on the ground at W29. I requested a squawk frequency and clearance to depart W29 for anp. I was told to squawk discrete and to contact pct TRACON immediately upon departure. The controller I spoke with asked if I switched my squawk to 1200 en route from anp to W29. I said 'yes, I did that as instructed.' I asked if I was released for a VFR departure from W29 to anp. Controller said I was cleared for departure. I followed my departure instructions explicitly and was cleared to anp on course. Approximately eight NM east of anp pct instructed me to call them immediately upon landing at anp. The controller indicated that I might have committed a violation. Recommendation: I believe a solution to this problem within the washington dc ADIZ involves a two-way communication check between ATC and the pilot. When approach control releases an aircraft to advisory frequency, the verbiage should specifically instruct the pilot to remain on the discrete squawk until on the ground. The pilot should also read back, 'squawking XXXX, switching to advisory.'

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLT OF PA28 RPTS HE WAS IMPROPERLY DIRECTED TO SQUAWK VFR CODE WITHIN DC ADIZ. CONTACTED BY PCT AND ADVISED OF POTENTIAL VIOLATION.

Narrative: XA:45 SUN, I WAS ENRTE FROM ANP TO BAY BRIDGE ARPT (W29) ON A VFR FLT PLAN. I WAS COMMUNICATING WITH PCT TRACON SQUAWKING A DISCRETE CODE. APPROX EIGHT MILES SW OF W29, BALTIMORE APCH ASKED IF I HAD W29 IN SIGHT. I INDICATED 'ARPT IN SIGHT' AND WAS INSTRUCTED FROM WHAT I RECALL TO SQUAWK VFR AND SWITCH TO ADVISORY FREQ. I BELIEVE MY READBACK WAS 'SQUAWKING VFR AND SWITCHING TO ADVISORY.' I RETUNED THE TRANSPONDER WITH 1200 AND CONTINUED COMMUNICATING ON 123.00. I ENTERED A L DOWNWIND, CONDUCTED A BEFORE LNDG CHK, AND NOTICED AN UNSAFE GEAR INDICATION. I DID NOT SEE A 'THREE-IN-THE-GREEN' GEAR INDICATION FOR THE LNDG GEAR. I IMMEDIATELY DEPARTED THE TFC PATTERN, CLBED TO 2000 FT MSL AND LOITERED APPROX FIVE NM S OF W29 TO SOLVE THE GEAR PROB. I ANNOUNCED MY ACTIONS ON 123.00. AFTER APPROX FIVE MINS, I SOLVED THE GEAR PROB, REENTERED THE TFC PATTERN, AND LANDED AT W29. AFTER LNDG AT W29, I CALLED PCT, I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT I WAS ON THE GND AT W29. I REQUESTED A SQUAWK FREQ AND CLRNC TO DEPART W29 FOR ANP. I WAS TOLD TO SQUAWK DISCRETE AND TO CONTACT PCT TRACON IMMEDIATELY UPON DEP. THE CTLR I SPOKE WITH ASKED IF I SWITCHED MY SQUAWK TO 1200 ENRTE FROM ANP TO W29. I SAID 'YES, I DID THAT AS INSTRUCTED.' I ASKED IF I WAS RELEASED FOR A VFR DEP FROM W29 TO ANP. CTLR SAID I WAS CLRED FOR DEP. I FOLLOWED MY DEP INSTRUCTIONS EXPLICITLY AND WAS CLRED TO ANP ON COURSE. APPROX EIGHT NM E OF ANP PCT INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL THEM IMMEDIATELY UPON LNDG AT ANP. THE CTLR INDICATED THAT I MIGHT HAVE COMMITTED A VIOLATION. RECOMMENDATION: I BELIEVE A SOLUTION TO THIS PROB WITHIN THE WASHINGTON DC ADIZ INVOLVES A TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION CHK BTWN ATC AND THE PLT. WHEN APCH CTL RELEASES AN ACFT TO ADVISORY FREQ, THE VERBIAGE SHOULD SPECIFICALLY INSTRUCT THE PLT TO REMAIN ON THE DISCRETE SQUAWK UNTIL ON THE GND. THE PLT SHOULD ALSO READ BACK, 'SQUAWKING XXXX, SWITCHING TO ADVISORY.'

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.

Pilot of PA28 reports he was improperly directed to squawk VFR code within dc ADIZ. Contacted by pct and advised of potential violation.