Narrative:

I filed a flight plan to stay in the pattern and practice takeoffs and lndgs. This is necessary since gai is in the washington ADIZ. I estimated that takeoff would occur at XA15. My last flight had been in february and I had a single landing. So I needed to make two lndgs in order to carry a passenger -- in this case my safety pilot. I called pct clearance delivery and got my clearance to stay in the pattern. I was given a transponder code and told to contact clearance delivery after I completed my pattern work and was back on the ground. I forgot to change the transponder and was showing 1200 during my first takeoff and landing. During the second circuit, the gai unicom asked if any airplanes were in the pattern. I reported my call sign and said I was in the pattern and was told to call ATC when I landed. Realizing that something was wrong I checked the transponder and noticed, to my chagrin that it was set on 1200. I quickly changed it to the assigned code, but by then it was too late. When I landed I called ATC, explained what happened, and gave them my personal information, address, pilot number, etc. Contributing factors: I was in a hurry to get my lndgs in before my safety pilot arrived. In addition, I was waiting at an area where two other airplanes were getting IFR clrncs. One departed ahead of me and the other got his clearance and asked for a 5 min delay in taking off. I was trying to take off before him. I should have taken my time and done a final check of everything. Possible solution: I use a checklist but some items are not individually listed and fall under a generic heading, such as check and set instruments. I've decided to construct a checklist where I will designate each item that must be checked before departure and use a pen to physically check off items as I go down the list.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DC ADIZ PENETRATION WHEN A C172 PVT PLT STAYS IN A CLOSED PATTERN FOR 2 LNDGS, BUT FORGOT TO USE THE XPONDER CODE ASSIGNED IN HIS CLRNC FROM PCT CTLR FOR LOCAL FLT AT GAI, MD.

Narrative: I FILED A FLT PLAN TO STAY IN THE PATTERN AND PRACTICE TAKEOFFS AND LNDGS. THIS IS NECESSARY SINCE GAI IS IN THE WASHINGTON ADIZ. I ESTIMATED THAT TAKEOFF WOULD OCCUR AT XA15. MY LAST FLT HAD BEEN IN FEBRUARY AND I HAD A SINGLE LNDG. SO I NEEDED TO MAKE TWO LNDGS IN ORDER TO CARRY A PAX -- IN THIS CASE MY SAFETY PLT. I CALLED PCT CLRNC DELIVERY AND GOT MY CLRNC TO STAY IN THE PATTERN. I WAS GIVEN A XPONDER CODE AND TOLD TO CONTACT CLRNC DELIVERY AFTER I COMPLETED MY PATTERN WORK AND WAS BACK ON THE GND. I FORGOT TO CHANGE THE XPONDER AND WAS SHOWING 1200 DURING MY FIRST TAKEOFF AND LNDG. DURING THE SECOND CIRCUIT, THE GAI UNICOM ASKED IF ANY AIRPLANES WERE IN THE PATTERN. I RPTED MY CALL SIGN AND SAID I WAS IN THE PATTERN AND WAS TOLD TO CALL ATC WHEN I LANDED. REALIZING THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG I CHKED THE XPONDER AND NOTICED, TO MY CHAGRIN THAT IT WAS SET ON 1200. I QUICKLY CHANGED IT TO THE ASSIGNED CODE, BUT BY THEN IT WAS TOO LATE. WHEN I LANDED I CALLED ATC, EXPLAINED WHAT HAPPENED, AND GAVE THEM MY PERSONAL INFO, ADDRESS, PLT NUMBER, ETC. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET MY LNDGS IN BEFORE MY SAFETY PLT ARRIVED. IN ADDITION, I WAS WAITING AT AN AREA WHERE TWO OTHER AIRPLANES WERE GETTING IFR CLRNCS. ONE DEPARTED AHEAD OF ME AND THE OTHER GOT HIS CLRNC AND ASKED FOR A 5 MIN DELAY IN TAKING OFF. I WAS TRYING TO TAKE OFF BEFORE HIM. I SHOULD HAVE TAKEN MY TIME AND DONE A FINAL CHK OF EVERYTHING. POSSIBLE SOLUTION: I USE A CHKLIST BUT SOME ITEMS ARE NOT INDIVIDUALLY LISTED AND FALL UNDER A GENERIC HDG, SUCH AS CHK AND SET INSTRUMENTS. I'VE DECIDED TO CONSTRUCT A CHKLIST WHERE I WILL DESIGNATE EACH ITEM THAT MUST BE CHKED BEFORE DEP AND USE A PEN TO PHYSICALLY CHK OFF ITEMS AS I GO DOWN THE LIST.

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.