Was the lost comm code 7500 or 7600?

I have a Narco 150 so I am careful when dialing in the numbers to avoid the special codes, I don't know how the digital transponders work but I would think it would be easier to make a mistake.

I expect the FAA will issue a training requirement for all pilots to relearn how to work a transponder
 
Wow...I'll bet the pilots were quite alarmed upon arrival, too. "Geez guys, we were just NORDO. No need for all this attention."
 
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When one of those codes goes off, every radar scope in the vicinity goes into alarm, visual and/or aural. The other day a 7500 code appears on the Tucson area scopes and everyone calls us up to see what we're doing about it since it was within the confines of Davis Monthan's airspace. After a lot of phone calls to a lot of people who claim it isn't them or their aircraft I finally asked one of the returning custom border patrol helicopters if he'd do us a favor. I vectored him over the target and asked him to tell me what was right below him. He said that it was a "civilian type aircraft with USAF markings and was right inside the gate to AMARC." (the boneyard) I called AMARC maintenance control (again) and told them that the aircraft with the transponder on 7500 was right inside the gate. "Oh that. Well I know that they were working on that T-1 by the gate, but I think they've gone to lunch." "I don't think you understand. That code has been flashing on everyone's radar scope for 2 hours now. I'm getting a lot of phone calls from other ATC facilities and you need to get that turned off...now." A few minutes later the code disappears and all is well in the world again.
 
The whole 7500 thing is supposed to be confirmed by ATC, at least it used to be. An accidental 7500 shouldn’t warrant this kind of response.
 
As John King says, if you are going to squawk 7500, it would behoove you to have a passenger when you land.
 
Velocity173 said:
The whole 7500 thing is supposed to be confirmed by ATC, at least it used to be. An accidental 7500 shouldn’t warrant this kind of response.
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Not sure what you meant by "this kind of response." but when there isn't anyone in the aircraft for ATC to confirm it with, that makes it kind of tough. Whether "confirmed" or not, the code still makes an ATC scope go nuts.
 
Timbeck2 said:
Not sure what you meant by "this kind of response." but when there isn't anyone in the aircraft for ATC to confirm it with, that makes it kind of tough. Whether "confirmed" or not, the code still makes an ATC scope go nuts.
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Article says they reestablished comms. “Confirm squawking 7500?” If yes, then the **** hits the fan. If no, then it’s unconfirmed and no DEN reporting requirements necessary. Unless they’ve changed the Special Ops manual, that’s how it used to be handled.

It does the same alarm on a radar scope as a 7600 and 7700.
 
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Yes it does. We knew it was on the ground because it wasn't moving. We knew it was probably maintenance and we knew the general vicinity of where the aircraft was located. We knew that if we blindly transmitted "confirm squawking 7500" on all frequencies that we probably wouldn't get a response. It was on a military installation so the chance of someone actually hijacking an aircraft was pretty slim. The "response" was one based largely on annoyance rather than actual concern. Nobody reported anything to anyone but it will be brought up in the next quarterly meeting that maintenance needs to get their heads out of their arse when it comes to checking transponders and ELTs while working on aircraft.

Edit: Sorry Velocity...I thought you were responding to me. Nevermind.
 
Velocity173 said:
The whole 7500 thing is supposed to be confirmed by ATC, at least it used to be. An accidental 7500 shouldn’t warrant this kind of response.
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Yeah. Article said they did establish comm but whoever was in charge wasn’t taking any chances and rolled the Calvary anyway. Back around ‘90, give or take a year or two this happened. VFR bugsmasher is coming in from the Northwest landing Van Nuys. He’s at seventy five hundred. Yup, that’s where this is going. They aren’t getting a Mode C so the controller says “squawk altitude.” Yup, pilot does it. Controller verifies it. Calls the supervisor over. Couple other people come over also to watch the show. Calls are made, airport manager, law enforcement etc. A ways out the pilot begins his descent to land. Does anyone say hey, I got an idea, let’s tell him to squawk altitude again? Nooo. Pilot gets met on the ground to a welcoming committee of Cops with guns drawn and ends up spread eagle on the ramp.
 
luvflyin said:
Yeah. Article said they did establish comm but whoever was in charge wasn’t taking any chances and rolled the Calvary anyway. Back around ‘90, give or take a year or two this happened. VFR bugsmasher is coming in from the Northwest landing Van Nuys. He’s at seventy five hundred. Yup, that’s where this is going. They aren’t getting a Mode C so the controller says “squawk altitude.” Yup, pilot does it. Controller verifies it. Calls the supervisor over. Couple other people come over also to watch the show. Calls are made, airport manager, law enforcement etc. A ways out the pilot begins his descent to land. Does anyone say hey, I got an idea, let’s tell him to squawk altitude again? Nooo. Pilot gets met on the ground to a welcoming committee of Cops with guns drawn and ends up spread eagle on the ramp.
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I suppose in this case, when they didn’t respond to the query they went ahead and got the ball rolling. Once comms were reestablished, it was probably too late to stand down everyone.
 
SkyDog58 said:
Two ATPs in the cockpit and apparently neither one knew the correct transponder code. Weird.
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If I had to guess, what happened was Captain tells FO to squawk 7600, FO intends to squawk 7600 and has fat fingers and put in 7500. Just trying to give them the benefit of the doubt.
 
luvflyin said:
Yeah. Article said they did establish comm but whoever was in charge wasn’t taking any chances and rolled the Calvary anyway. Back around ‘90, give or take a year or two this happened. VFR bugsmasher is coming in from the Northwest landing Van Nuys. He’s at seventy five hundred. Yup, that’s where this is going. They aren’t getting a Mode C so the controller says “squawk altitude.” Yup, pilot does it. Controller verifies it. Calls the supervisor over. Couple other people come over also to watch the show. Calls are made, airport manager, law enforcement etc. A ways out the pilot begins his descent to land. Does anyone say hey, I got an idea, let’s tell him to squawk altitude again? Nooo. Pilot gets met on the ground to a welcoming committee of Cops with guns drawn and ends up spread eagle on the ramp.
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I might be in a weird mood, but as soon as I read the words "squawk altitude" I was literally roflmao with tears all over my face.

Hard to believe that actually happened, but I guess there's some stuff you don't have to make up.
 
The story I have has the controllers giving him climbs and descents to watch him sit there and fiddle the code.
 
I wonder what he would do if they gave him 8000 or above. ;)
 
I was picking up IFR clearance after take off late one night. I heard the words I like to hear, "Cleared direct" but I had a question on the squawk code. So I read back the clearance and asked to repeat the squawk. "Cessna 123 squawk 3585".

Ok, trying to think up a smart azz but humorous reply when a different voice came on the air, "Cessna 123 squawk 3565".

"Ok, I have all those numbers, thanks." :lol::lol::lol:
 
Shawn said:
FBI storming the plane guns drawn was just freaking absurd especially after pilot confirmed it was an "oops".

When common sense is no longer common.
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You could argue that it was a "bad person" was telling him what to say.

But, once the airplane has landed and sitting on the ramp - ummm. What's gonna happen? Force the pilot to taxi to gate 13?
 
At JFK no less. 7:30 is a big push, all the European flights heading out over the pond. I can just imagine the delays this caused. At least two comm radios, seems the crew would have been able to communicate with the tower sooner.
 
Shawn said:
FBI storming the plane guns drawn was just freaking absurd especially after pilot confirmed it was an "oops".

When common sense is no longer common.
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(Clears throat): "out of abundance of caution"
 
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