B757 crew forgets to set correct transponder code before departing bwi.

Attributes
ACN	710628
Time
Date	200609
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : bwi.airport
State Reference	MD
Altitude	msl single value : 2000
Environment
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B757-200
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
ASRS Report	710628
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
ASRS Report	710635
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : clearance
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued advisory
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance

Narrative:

After parking in bwi; first officer selected 1200 in the transponder. This is a common practice and is supposed to alert the crew to the next leg that a new code needs to be obtained. Neither the first officer nor I noticed that the new code had not been inserted into the transponder upon receipt of our clearance to ZZZ. On departure and climbing through about 2000 ft AGL; departure control asked us to identify. At that time; first officer noticed the transponder error and dialed in the new code. Departure made a comment about us squawking VFR and asked us to identify again. Controller notified us that this was a serious mistake and gave us the phone number to call upon arrival in ZZZ. After parking; I called the above number and spoke to a supervisor in bwi. I explained our mistake and told her it would not happen again. She understood and mentioned that the department of defense had not noticed our mistake since we caught it so early. If they had; she said; it would have been a mandatory fine of some type. The before starting engines checklist used to say 'transponder;' whereupon the captain would reply 'set;' which would clue me to check what is actually set in the window. Now; the response is 'TA/RA;' at which time I just make sure that the selector is in TA/RA. In the future I will check the correct code and caution first officer's not to set 1200 or 0000 in the transponder window while parked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B757 CREW FORGETS TO SET CORRECT XPONDER CODE BEFORE DEPARTING BWI.

Narrative: AFTER PARKING IN BWI; FO SELECTED 1200 IN THE XPONDER. THIS IS A COMMON PRACTICE AND IS SUPPOSED TO ALERT THE CREW TO THE NEXT LEG THAT A NEW CODE NEEDS TO BE OBTAINED. NEITHER THE FO NOR I NOTICED THAT THE NEW CODE HAD NOT BEEN INSERTED INTO THE XPONDER UPON RECEIPT OF OUR CLRNC TO ZZZ. ON DEP AND CLBING THROUGH ABOUT 2000 FT AGL; DEP CTL ASKED US TO IDENT. AT THAT TIME; FO NOTICED THE XPONDER ERROR AND DIALED IN THE NEW CODE. DEP MADE A COMMENT ABOUT US SQUAWKING VFR AND ASKED US TO IDENT AGAIN. CTLR NOTIFIED US THAT THIS WAS A SERIOUS MISTAKE AND GAVE US THE PHONE NUMBER TO CALL UPON ARR IN ZZZ. AFTER PARKING; I CALLED THE ABOVE NUMBER AND SPOKE TO A SUPVR IN BWI. I EXPLAINED OUR MISTAKE AND TOLD HER IT WOULD NOT HAPPEN AGAIN. SHE UNDERSTOOD AND MENTIONED THAT THE DEPT OF DEFENSE HAD NOT NOTICED OUR MISTAKE SINCE WE CAUGHT IT SO EARLY. IF THEY HAD; SHE SAID; IT WOULD HAVE BEEN A MANDATORY FINE OF SOME TYPE. THE BEFORE STARTING ENGS CHKLIST USED TO SAY 'XPONDER;' WHEREUPON THE CAPT WOULD REPLY 'SET;' WHICH WOULD CLUE ME TO CHK WHAT IS ACTUALLY SET IN THE WINDOW. NOW; THE RESPONSE IS 'TA/RA;' AT WHICH TIME I JUST MAKE SURE THAT THE SELECTOR IS IN TA/RA. IN THE FUTURE I WILL CHK THE CORRECT CODE AND CAUTION FO'S NOT TO SET 1200 OR 0000 IN THE XPONDER WINDOW WHILE PARKED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.