GA small aircraft flew in the dca 30 NM veil without turning transponder to altitude.

Attributes
ACN	135839
Time
Date	199001
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : w09
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5500 msl bound upper : 5500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : oak
Operator	general aviation : instructional
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 40 flight time total : 59 flight time type : 59
ASRS Report	135839
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : far
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:

First passenger. Nervous. Preflight checklist not specific enough: 'radio and avionics--set.' I missed turning transponder from sby to altitude and flew around in the 30 mi veil around dca with transponder in standby. Traffic was very light and past peak. I am drawing up my own more specific checklist for further flts. One thing that does bother me is the transponder was indicating radar 'hits.' I discovered my mistake when doing the post-flight checklist item 'transponder to standby,' which is not on the small aircraft checklist.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: GA SMA FLEW IN THE DCA 30 NM VEIL WITHOUT TURNING TRANSPONDER TO ALT.

Narrative: FIRST PAX. NERVOUS. PREFLT CHKLIST NOT SPECIFIC ENOUGH: 'RADIO AND AVIONICS--SET.' I MISSED TURNING XPONDER FROM SBY TO ALT AND FLEW AROUND IN THE 30 MI VEIL AROUND DCA WITH XPONDER IN STANDBY. TFC WAS VERY LIGHT AND PAST PEAK. I AM DRAWING UP MY OWN MORE SPECIFIC CHKLIST FOR FURTHER FLTS. ONE THING THAT DOES BOTHER ME IS THE XPONDER WAS INDICATING RADAR 'HITS.' I DISCOVERED MY MISTAKE WHEN DOING THE POST-FLT CHKLIST ITEM 'XPONDER TO STANDBY,' WHICH IS NOT ON THE SMA CHKLIST.

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.