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.

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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.