Narrative:

Pilot from previous flight had forgot to reset transponder to VFR (1200) on last leg of flight. I received page to pick up cardiac patient, medical crew was not near aircraft at the time, so I felt rushed due to having to load their equipment, fuel aircraft, and launch quickly. In my haste I rushed past avionics portion of checklist and simply turned the avionics on, not checking to see if the appropriate code was installed. Found error on shutdown when pace had slowed. Best corrective action would be to carefully review each item on checklist especially when in a hurry.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ROTARY WING TRAFFIC OPERATED AN EMS CALL IN VFR WITHOUT THE VFR CODE INSERTED. IMPROPER TRANSPONDER OPERATION PROC.

Narrative: PLT FROM PREVIOUS FLT HAD FORGOT TO RESET XPONDER TO VFR (1200) ON LAST LEG OF FLT. I RECEIVED PAGE TO PICK UP CARDIAC PATIENT, MEDICAL CREW WAS NOT NEAR ACFT AT THE TIME, SO I FELT RUSHED DUE TO HAVING TO LOAD THEIR EQUIP, FUEL ACFT, AND LAUNCH QUICKLY. IN MY HASTE I RUSHED PAST AVIONICS PORTION OF CHKLIST AND SIMPLY TURNED THE AVIONICS ON, NOT CHKING TO SEE IF THE APPROPRIATE CODE WAS INSTALLED. FOUND ERROR ON SHUTDOWN WHEN PACE HAD SLOWED. BEST CORRECTIVE ACTION WOULD BE TO CAREFULLY REVIEW EACH ITEM ON CHKLIST ESPECIALLY WHEN IN A HURRY.

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.