A C-172 pilot operated in the vicinity of the cvg class B and failed to realize that he was in viola...

Attributes
ACN	588499
Time
Date	200307
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : cvg.airport
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl single value : 2800
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cvg.tracon tower : lou.tower
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	cruise : level descent : approach
Route In Use	approach : traffic pattern arrival : vfr
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 7.9 flight time total : 1320 flight time type : 1310
ASRS Report	588499
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Airspace Structure Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Took off out of I69 to lou. After takeoff during climb, noticed transponder was not receiving any hits. Recycled transponder. Still did not indicate normal replies. #1 radio VOR number digits became scattered preventing its use for navigation. #2 radio was normal. Flew approximately 10 NM south before turning southwest to lou. I was monitoring 121 pt 50 the whole time. I stayed below the 3000 ft class B airspace. Visibility was excellent. Remained to the south of interstate 71. I kept trying to get the radio and transponder to work because it was distracting. Approximately 30 mi south of cvg I heard center call out traffic to a departure aircraft. I then realized I had gained some additional altitude but thought I was still out of class B airspace. Normally I would use both VOR's to update my exact position, but due to #1 being unusable, I could only shoot one radial. I continued to lou. When I was on left downwind the aircraft on the right down-wind called the tower and stated he was TCASII equipped but I did not show my position. Requested tower to provide him my position. This is when it occurred to me that my transponder was not indicating correctly. I thought the reply light was the only problem. Upon landing lou tower requested I contact cvg and talk with them. I elected not to talk with them at that time. I suspect my transponder was not working or I may have inadvertently entered class B airspace. I should have had cvg verify my altitude readout or flown further south to insure I was clear of class B airspace or returned to cvg to have my equipment checked out, having radio repaired and avionics shop check out transponder. Also, if atl had called out that 'traffic south of airport (us) is about to enter class B airspace' or 'transponder not working' I could have changed altitude or direction to insure I was clear of the class B airspace. I think ATC has a responsibility to at least try to let aircraft in the area know of any possible problems even if they are not talking directly with them. I always monitor center radio whenever in the vicinity of controled airspace.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A C-172 PLT OPERATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE CVG CLASS B AND FAILED TO REALIZE THAT HE WAS IN VIOLATION OF FAR 91 PT 215 WHEN HIS XPONDER WAS NOT ENABLING A MODE C INTERROGATION 30 NM FROM CVG.

Narrative: TOOK OFF OUT OF I69 TO LOU. AFTER TKOF DURING CLB, NOTICED XPONDER WAS NOT RECEIVING ANY HITS. RECYCLED XPONDER. STILL DID NOT INDICATE NORMAL REPLIES. #1 RADIO VOR NUMBER DIGITS BECAME SCATTERED PREVENTING ITS USE FOR NAV. #2 RADIO WAS NORMAL. FLEW APPROX 10 NM S BEFORE TURNING SW TO LOU. I WAS MONITORING 121 PT 50 THE WHOLE TIME. I STAYED BELOW THE 3000 FT CLASS B AIRSPACE. VISIBILITY WAS EXCELLENT. REMAINED TO THE S OF INTERSTATE 71. I KEPT TRYING TO GET THE RADIO AND XPONDER TO WORK BECAUSE IT WAS DISTRACTING. APPROX 30 MI S OF CVG I HEARD CTR CALL OUT TFC TO A DEP ACFT. I THEN REALIZED I HAD GAINED SOME ADDITIONAL ALT BUT THOUGHT I WAS STILL OUT OF CLASS B AIRSPACE. NORMALLY I WOULD USE BOTH VOR'S TO UPDATE MY EXACT POS, BUT DUE TO #1 BEING UNUSABLE, I COULD ONLY SHOOT ONE RADIAL. I CONTINUED TO LOU. WHEN I WAS ON L DOWNWIND THE AIRCRAFT ON THE R DOWN-WIND CALLED THE TWR AND STATED HE WAS TCASII EQUIPPED BUT I DID NOT SHOW MY POS. REQUESTED TWR TO PROVIDE HIM MY POS. THIS IS WHEN IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT MY XPONDER WAS NOT INDICATING CORRECTLY. I THOUGHT THE REPLY LIGHT WAS THE ONLY PROB. UPON LNDG LOU TWR REQUESTED I CONTACT CVG AND TALK WITH THEM. I ELECTED NOT TO TALK WITH THEM AT THAT TIME. I SUSPECT MY XPONDER WAS NOT WORKING OR I MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED CLASS B AIRSPACE. I SHOULD HAVE HAD CVG VERIFY MY ALT READOUT OR FLOWN FURTHER S TO INSURE I WAS CLR OF CLASS B AIRSPACE OR RETURNED TO CVG TO HAVE MY EQUIP CHKED OUT, HAVING RADIO REPAIRED AND AVIONICS SHOP CHK OUT XPONDER. ALSO, IF ATL HAD CALLED OUT THAT 'TFC S OF ARPT (US) IS ABOUT TO ENTER CLASS B AIRSPACE' OR 'XPONDER NOT WORKING' I COULD HAVE CHANGED ALT OR DIRECTION TO INSURE I WAS CLR OF THE CLASS B AIRSPACE. I THINK ATC HAS A RESPONSIBILITY TO AT LEAST TRY TO LET AIRCRAFT IN THE AREA KNOW OF ANY POSSIBLE PROBS EVEN IF THEY ARE NOT TALKING DIRECTLY WITH THEM. I ALWAYS MONITOR CTR RADIO WHENEVER IN THE VICINITY OF CTLED AIRSPACE.

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 C-172 pilot operated in the vicinity of the cvg class B and failed to realize that he was in violation of far 91 pt 215 when his transponder was not enabling a mode C interrogation 30 NM from cvg.