Air carrier large transport makes a visual approach to non tower airport. Having been released to CTAF frequency from ZLC, the PF, the first officer, changed the transponder code to 1200, assuming they have canceled IFR. Reporter, the first officer had changed the code to 1200 the previous week and had acted upon that previous experience.

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Attributes
ACN	377920
Time
Date	199708
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fca
State Reference	MT
Altitude	msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zlc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach landing other
Route In Use	approach : visual approach : straight in arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 7000
ASRS Report	377920
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : far non adherence : clearance other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

ZLC cleared flight for a visual approach to glacier park airport after crew stated they had airport in sight. Center also instructed crew to change to advisory frequency for airport (CTAF). Copilot thought they had canceled IFR and squawked 1200 as they did the previous week. On the ground the captain said to cancel IFR with center and when we did, center asked us if we had turned off transponder (we did not). Center requested that we should not have squawked 1200 as he loses radar coverage and cannot advise other aircraft in the valley. Solution: continue to squawk proper transponder code unless specifically told to squawk 1200 and canceling IFR.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR LGT MAKES A VISUAL APCH TO NON TWR ARPT. HAVING BEEN RELEASED TO CTAF FREQ FROM ZLC, THE PF, THE FO, CHANGED THE XPONDER CODE TO 1200, ASSUMING THEY HAVE CANCELED IFR. RPTR, THE FO HAD CHANGED THE CODE TO 1200 THE PREVIOUS WEEK AND HAD ACTED UPON THAT PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE.

Narrative: ZLC CLRED FLT FOR A VISUAL APCH TO GLACIER PARK ARPT AFTER CREW STATED THEY HAD ARPT IN SIGHT. CTR ALSO INSTRUCTED CREW TO CHANGE TO ADVISORY FREQ FOR ARPT (CTAF). COPLT THOUGHT THEY HAD CANCELED IFR AND SQUAWKED 1200 AS THEY DID THE PREVIOUS WEEK. ON THE GND THE CAPT SAID TO CANCEL IFR WITH CTR AND WHEN WE DID, CTR ASKED US IF WE HAD TURNED OFF XPONDER (WE DID NOT). CTR REQUESTED THAT WE SHOULD NOT HAVE SQUAWKED 1200 AS HE LOSES RADAR COVERAGE AND CANNOT ADVISE OTHER ACFT IN THE VALLEY. SOLUTION: CONTINUE TO SQUAWK PROPER XPONDER CODE UNLESS SPECIFICALLY TOLD TO SQUAWK 1200 AND CANCELING IFR.

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.