Narrative:

Events prior to the takeoff were normal and routine. Initial clearance from clearance delivery was, '...cleared flipr 3 departure, trm transition, maintain 2000', squawk XXXX...' the mode control and autoflt panel were set at the gate with heading 220 degrees and altitude 2000' selected, and transponder was set, code XXXX. We were cleared into position to hold and the call was acknowledged. After taking the runway, heading hold was selected on the MCP. Takeoff clearance was, '...in trail with company heavy jet--heading 250 degrees, cleared for takeoff.' my reply was, 'heading 250 degrees, cleared takeoff, air carrier xx.' the heading selected was updated to a 250 degree heading and the takeoff was normal. Heading select was pushed after takeoff. Tower made at least 1 transmission to another aircraft prior to switching us to departure control. Tower's transmission to us, 'fly heading 220 degrees, contact departure.' seemed later than usual as we were already in the process of leveling at 2000'. The captain contacted departure control and was asked to squawk XXXX and identify. Identify was accomplished followed by a second request from departure to identify. The transponder was switched from right to left transponder and departure control replied, 'radar contact, turn left heading 150 degrees, climb to 13000' and resume the SID.' I was still in a turn to a 220 degree heading, the call was acknowledged and turn was continued to a 150 degree heading with a climb. The remainder of the departure was flown until cleared direct to trm. A later check with ZAB showed that the right (malfunctioning) transponder was sending an XXXY code. The maintenance coordinator was notified and a log book entry was made.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CONFUSION BETWEEN ACR WDB AND ATC DEP CTLR DUE TO TRANSPONDER MALFUNCTION.

Narrative: EVENTS PRIOR TO THE TKOF WERE NORMAL AND ROUTINE. INITIAL CLRNC FROM CLRNC DELIVERY WAS, '...CLRED FLIPR 3 DEP, TRM TRANSITION, MAINTAIN 2000', SQUAWK XXXX...' THE MODE CTL AND AUTOFLT PANEL WERE SET AT THE GATE WITH HDG 220 DEGS AND ALT 2000' SELECTED, AND XPONDER WAS SET, CODE XXXX. WE WERE CLRED INTO POS TO HOLD AND THE CALL WAS ACKNOWLEDGED. AFTER TAKING THE RWY, HDG HOLD WAS SELECTED ON THE MCP. TKOF CLRNC WAS, '...IN TRAIL WITH COMPANY HVY JET--HDG 250 DEGS, CLRED FOR TKOF.' MY REPLY WAS, 'HDG 250 DEGS, CLRED TKOF, ACR XX.' THE HDG SELECTED WAS UPDATED TO A 250 DEG HDG AND THE TKOF WAS NORMAL. HDG SELECT WAS PUSHED AFTER TKOF. TWR MADE AT LEAST 1 XMISSION TO ANOTHER ACFT PRIOR TO SWITCHING US TO DEP CTL. TWR'S XMISSION TO US, 'FLY HDG 220 DEGS, CONTACT DEP.' SEEMED LATER THAN USUAL AS WE WERE ALREADY IN THE PROCESS OF LEVELING AT 2000'. THE CAPT CONTACTED DEP CTL AND WAS ASKED TO SQUAWK XXXX AND IDENT. IDENT WAS ACCOMPLISHED FOLLOWED BY A SECOND REQUEST FROM DEP TO IDENT. THE XPONDER WAS SWITCHED FROM RIGHT TO LEFT XPONDER AND DEP CTL REPLIED, 'RADAR CONTACT, TURN LEFT HDG 150 DEGS, CLB TO 13000' AND RESUME THE SID.' I WAS STILL IN A TURN TO A 220 DEG HDG, THE CALL WAS ACKNOWLEDGED AND TURN WAS CONTINUED TO A 150 DEG HDG WITH A CLB. THE REMAINDER OF THE DEP WAS FLOWN UNTIL CLRED DIRECT TO TRM. A LATER CHK WITH ZAB SHOWED THAT THE RIGHT (MALFUNCTIONING) XPONDER WAS SENDING AN XXXY CODE. THE MAINT COORDINATOR WAS NOTIFIED AND A LOG BOOK ENTRY WAS MADE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.