A C177RG private pilot is cited for changing his transponder code to 1200, VFR operations, after can...

Attributes
ACN	580135
Time
Date	200303
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fme.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	agl single value : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Cardinal 177/177RG
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 11.6 flight time total : 706.2 flight time type : 6.5
ASRS Report	580135
Person 2
Function	observation : passenger
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Passenger Human Performance ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

I am a private pilot on an instrument flight from agc to fme. Front seat passenger is a private pilot with instrument rating and is current. I received a brief from FSS and filed an IFR flight plan, intending to operate on IFR flight plan due in part to tfr and washington airspace issues. During the course of the flight non-flying pilot assisted with radio tuning. Upon visual approach to fme controller asked once for me to cancel IFR on this frequency or on the ground by phone. Controller cleared me for the visual approach to fme and again instructed me to cancel IFR on this frequency or as soon as possible when on the ground. I cancelled in the air and the controller stated that cancellation was received and that I could switch to advisories. I changed to the fme unicom, and no longer spoke or heard approach. Upon landing airport staff asked me to call approach. The approach supervisor asked me if I changed transponder codes, I stated no. However, the non-flying pilot stated that he reset the transponder to 1200 when I cancelled IFR. I was focused on flying the aircraft, setting up for landing and assuring that all prelndg checks were made. I failed to notice the non-flying pilot resetting the transponder and failed to rechk the transponder numbers during the final. I have asked the non-flying pilot to confirm all radio/transponder changes with me prior to making the changes.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C177RG PVT PLT IS CITED FOR CHANGING HIS XPONDER CODE TO 1200, VFR OPS, AFTER CANCELING HIS FLT PLAN WITH PCT CTLR WHEN IN TFC PATTERN TO LAND AT FME.

Narrative: I AM A PVT PLT ON AN INSTRUMENT FLT FROM AGC TO FME. FRONT SEAT PAX IS A PRIVATE PILOT WITH INSTRUMENT RATING AND IS CURRENT. I RECEIVED A BRIEF FROM FSS AND FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, INTENDING TO OPERATE ON IFR FLT PLAN DUE IN PART TO TFR AND WASHINGTON AIRSPACE ISSUES. DURING THE COURSE OF THE FLT NON-FLYING PLT ASSISTED WITH RADIO TUNING. UPON VISUAL APCH TO FME CTLR ASKED ONCE FOR ME TO CANCEL IFR ON THIS FREQ OR ON THE GND BY PHONE. CTLR CLRED ME FOR THE VISUAL APCH TO FME AND AGAIN INSTRUCTED ME TO CANCEL IFR ON THIS FREQ OR AS SOON AS POSSIBLE WHEN ON THE GND. I CANCELLED IN THE AIR AND THE CTLR STATED THAT CANCELLATION WAS RECEIVED AND THAT I COULD SWITCH TO ADVISORIES. I CHANGED TO THE FME UNICOM, AND NO LONGER SPOKE OR HEARD APCH. UPON LNDG ARPT STAFF ASKED ME TO CALL APCH. THE APCH SUPVR ASKED ME IF I CHANGED XPONDER CODES, I STATED NO. HOWEVER, THE NON-FLYING PLT STATED THAT HE RESET THE XPONDER TO 1200 WHEN I CANCELLED IFR. I WAS FOCUSED ON FLYING THE ACFT, SETTING UP FOR LNDG AND ASSURING THAT ALL PRELNDG CHKS WERE MADE. I FAILED TO NOTICE THE NON-FLYING PLT RESETTING THE XPONDER AND FAILED TO RECHK THE XPONDER NUMBERS DURING THE FINAL. I HAVE ASKED THE NON-FLYING PLT TO CONFIRM ALL RADIO/XPONDER CHANGES WITH ME PRIOR TO MAKING THE CHANGES.

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.

A C177RG private pilot is cited for changing his transponder code to 1200, VFR operations, after canceling his flight plan with pct controller when in traffic pattern to land at fme.