Narrative:

On takeoff out of stl we were handed over from the tower to the departure controller. The controller did not see us on radar, asked us to check transponder on. We did and at that time realized that we had it switched on but we were squawking 1200. (This occurred when the transponder was switched on. The preselect button is easily touched when switching the transponder on. We keep 1200 in the preselect and it was touched when we switched on the transponder before takeoff.) we then squawked the correct squawk and continued the flight without any further incident.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLC OF A BRITISH JETSTREAM 32, BA32, ACCIDENTALLY TOOK OFF WITH THEIR XPONDER ON THE WRONG CODE RESULTING IN DEP CTLR ADVISING THEM THAT THERE WAS NO TARGET SHOWING FOR THEIR ACFT.

Narrative: ON TKOF OUT OF STL WE WERE HANDED OVER FROM THE TWR TO THE DEP CTLR. THE CTLR DID NOT SEE US ON RADAR, ASKED US TO CHK XPONDER ON. WE DID AND AT THAT TIME REALIZED THAT WE HAD IT SWITCHED ON BUT WE WERE SQUAWKING 1200. (THIS OCCURRED WHEN THE XPONDER WAS SWITCHED ON. THE PRESELECT BUTTON IS EASILY TOUCHED WHEN SWITCHING THE XPONDER ON. WE KEEP 1200 IN THE PRESELECT AND IT WAS TOUCHED WHEN WE SWITCHED ON THE XPONDER BEFORE TKOF.) WE THEN SQUAWKED THE CORRECT SQUAWK AND CONTINUED THE FLT WITHOUT ANY FURTHER INCIDENT.

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.