Flight crew neglects to move transponder from standby.

Attributes
ACN	277850
Time
Date	199407
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : day
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737-300
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : flight engineer pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 40
ASRS Report	277850
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 240 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 4000
ASRS Report	278121
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

After departing runway 22R at ewr we were handed off to departure control and assigned a heading of 220 degrees and told to climb to 10000 ft. We were on that heading for about 20 mi and noticed that the controller was not talking to us. The PF (captain) noticed that the TCASII display was 'blank.' he queried the controller about our heading assigned. The controller was very busy with an aircraft that was 5 mi off course. The captain realized that the transponder was still in the standby mode. He turned it on and the controller told us to turn right to 360 degrees and climb to 11000 ft immediately. We received a TCASII RA and visually idented the target. I, PNF, was responsible for turning on the transponder during the before takeoff checklist I read the item (command) and responded but failed to turn it on. Due to my lack of experience as a first officer, I was an flight engineer for the airline for 4 yrs. I had not developed a 'flow' yet for the checklist items. I am on reserve duty and the last time I flew was 7 days prior. I had a total of 28:40 hours in type and as a first officer this lack of flying was a contributing factor. I was still 'rusty' because of the infrequency of regularly flying trips (all reserve pilots). I think the company should buy me a couple of months worth of trips to bring me up to speed and keep me from getting complacent. We talked to a TRACON supervisor about the incident and he said he was vaguely familiar with said incident. He said there was no violation of separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC NEGLECTS TO MOVE XPONDER FROM STANDBY.

Narrative: AFTER DEPARTING RWY 22R AT EWR WE WERE HANDED OFF TO DEP CTL AND ASSIGNED A HDG OF 220 DEGS AND TOLD TO CLB TO 10000 FT. WE WERE ON THAT HDG FOR ABOUT 20 MI AND NOTICED THAT THE CTLR WAS NOT TALKING TO US. THE PF (CAPT) NOTICED THAT THE TCASII DISPLAY WAS 'BLANK.' HE QUERIED THE CTLR ABOUT OUR HDG ASSIGNED. THE CTLR WAS VERY BUSY WITH AN ACFT THAT WAS 5 MI OFF COURSE. THE CAPT REALIZED THAT THE XPONDER WAS STILL IN THE STANDBY MODE. HE TURNED IT ON AND THE CTLR TOLD US TO TURN R TO 360 DEGS AND CLB TO 11000 FT IMMEDIATELY. WE RECEIVED A TCASII RA AND VISUALLY IDENTED THE TARGET. I, PNF, WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR TURNING ON THE XPONDER DURING THE BEFORE TKOF CHKLIST I READ THE ITEM (COMMAND) AND RESPONDED BUT FAILED TO TURN IT ON. DUE TO MY LACK OF EXPERIENCE AS A FO, I WAS AN FE FOR THE AIRLINE FOR 4 YRS. I HAD NOT DEVELOPED A 'FLOW' YET FOR THE CHKLIST ITEMS. I AM ON RESERVE DUTY AND THE LAST TIME I FLEW WAS 7 DAYS PRIOR. I HAD A TOTAL OF 28:40 HRS IN TYPE AND AS A FO THIS LACK OF FLYING WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. I WAS STILL 'RUSTY' BECAUSE OF THE INFREQUENCY OF REGULARLY FLYING TRIPS (ALL RESERVE PLTS). I THINK THE COMPANY SHOULD BUY ME A COUPLE OF MONTHS WORTH OF TRIPS TO BRING ME UP TO SPD AND KEEP ME FROM GETTING COMPLACENT. WE TALKED TO A TRACON SUPVR ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND HE SAID HE WAS VAGUELY FAMILIAR WITH SAID INCIDENT. HE SAID THERE WAS NO VIOLATION OF SEPARATION.

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.