Law enforcement helicopter failed to turn on transponder within class be 30 veil.

Attributes
ACN	295290
Time
Date	199502
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lax
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 1000 msl bound upper : 1000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lax
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Jet/Long Ranger
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	government other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : cfi pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 60 flight time total : 4500 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	295290
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

During a law enforcement photo mission, I inadvertently forgot to turn on the transponder while operating within 30 mi of a TCA. After departing lapd helipad to a location 2-3 mi away, I failed to turn on my transponder. I feel that I was distracted at the time with trying to locate the area that we were to take pictures of due to how close it was to the helipad. We operated in the area for approximately 30 mins before returning to the helipad. I wasn't till I landed that I went to turn the transponder to standby that I realized that I didn't turn it on to begin with. As a law enforcement pilot, it reminded me to be sure and aviate before and during any mission. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that the helipad from which they departed is right in downtown los angeles. They were not in contact with ATC as they were too low to be picked up on radar. This may also be why they heard nothing from ATC. The time was very short and reporter will be more aware from now on.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LAW ENFORCEMENT HELI FAILED TO TURN ON XPONDER WITHIN CLASS BE 30 VEIL.

Narrative: DURING A LAW ENFORCEMENT PHOTO MISSION, I INADVERTENTLY FORGOT TO TURN ON THE XPONDER WHILE OPERATING WITHIN 30 MI OF A TCA. AFTER DEPARTING LAPD HELIPAD TO A LOCATION 2-3 MI AWAY, I FAILED TO TURN ON MY XPONDER. I FEEL THAT I WAS DISTRACTED AT THE TIME WITH TRYING TO LOCATE THE AREA THAT WE WERE TO TAKE PICTURES OF DUE TO HOW CLOSE IT WAS TO THE HELIPAD. WE OPERATED IN THE AREA FOR APPROX 30 MINS BEFORE RETURNING TO THE HELIPAD. I WASN'T TILL I LANDED THAT I WENT TO TURN THE XPONDER TO STANDBY THAT I REALIZED THAT I DIDN'T TURN IT ON TO BEGIN WITH. AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT PLT, IT REMINDED ME TO BE SURE AND AVIATE BEFORE AND DURING ANY MISSION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THE HELIPAD FROM WHICH THEY DEPARTED IS R IN DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES. THEY WERE NOT IN CONTACT WITH ATC AS THEY WERE TOO LOW TO BE PICKED UP ON RADAR. THIS MAY ALSO BE WHY THEY HEARD NOTHING FROM ATC. THE TIME WAS VERY SHORT AND RPTR WILL BE MORE AWARE FROM NOW ON.

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.