Wrong transponder code gives ATC concern about the status of flight on departure from fll, fl.

Attributes
ACN	465796
Time
Date	200003
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll.airport
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia.tracon tower : fll.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SA-227 AC Metro III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 119
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 2400 flight time type : 300
ASRS Report	465793
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : multi engine pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 1590 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	465688
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Aircraft Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

Approximately at XA35 am (local) aircraft was cleared for takeoff from ft lauderdale hollywood international airport. During the climb out the tower controller requested us to check 'transponder on,' while we were performing the appropriate climb checklist, we replied 'transponder is on.' following that, we were requested to contact miami departure control. Upon our check-in with departure control, we were advised to check 'transponder on.' we replied: 'are you receiving our transponder?' and control responded affirmatively. Miami controller requested 'say intentions.' at this point we realize we are not maintaining the normal communication with control. At this time, we recognize problem as the wrong code being set on the transponder (7500). Immediately proceeded to reset the transponder to the code given on the clearance (XXXX). Then, we informed control that the previous code was wrong, and it had been reset to the correct one. When we establish communications with center, we were questioned if situation was normal, we replied our situation was normal and clarified to controller about the mistake and that it had been fixed. Controller gave us a name and phone number to call upon landing. Person was contacted, and informed that situation was normal. We considered possible causes: 7500 code might have been preprogrammed in transponder memory, and accidentally switched from correct code to memory. Transponder malfunction: turning off the avionics in the aircraft might have reset transponder to 7500 code.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WRONG XPONDER CODE GIVES ATC CONCERN ABOUT THE STATUS OF FLT ON DEP FROM FLL, FL.

Narrative: APPROX AT XA35 AM (LCL) ACFT WAS CLRED FOR TKOF FROM FT LAUDERDALE HOLLYWOOD INTL ARPT. DURING THE CLBOUT THE TWR CTLR REQUESTED US TO CHK 'XPONDER ON,' WHILE WE WERE PERFORMING THE APPROPRIATE CLB CHKLIST, WE REPLIED 'XPONDER IS ON.' FOLLOWING THAT, WE WERE REQUESTED TO CONTACT MIAMI DEP CTL. UPON OUR CHK-IN WITH DEP CTL, WE WERE ADVISED TO CHK 'XPONDER ON.' WE REPLIED: 'ARE YOU RECEIVING OUR XPONDER?' AND CTL RESPONDED AFFIRMATIVELY. MIAMI CTLR REQUESTED 'SAY INTENTIONS.' AT THIS POINT WE REALIZE WE ARE NOT MAINTAINING THE NORMAL COM WITH CTL. AT THIS TIME, WE RECOGNIZE PROB AS THE WRONG CODE BEING SET ON THE XPONDER (7500). IMMEDIATELY PROCEEDED TO RESET THE XPONDER TO THE CODE GIVEN ON THE CLRNC (XXXX). THEN, WE INFORMED CTL THAT THE PREVIOUS CODE WAS WRONG, AND IT HAD BEEN RESET TO THE CORRECT ONE. WHEN WE ESTABLISH COMS WITH CTR, WE WERE QUESTIONED IF SIT WAS NORMAL, WE REPLIED OUR SIT WAS NORMAL AND CLARIFIED TO CTLR ABOUT THE MISTAKE AND THAT IT HAD BEEN FIXED. CTLR GAVE US A NAME AND PHONE NUMBER TO CALL UPON LNDG. PERSON WAS CONTACTED, AND INFORMED THAT SIT WAS NORMAL. WE CONSIDERED POSSIBLE CAUSES: 7500 CODE MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREPROGRAMMED IN XPONDER MEMORY, AND ACCIDENTALLY SWITCHED FROM CORRECT CODE TO MEMORY. XPONDER MALFUNCTION: TURNING OFF THE AVIONICS IN THE ACFT MIGHT HAVE RESET XPONDER TO 7500 CODE.

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.