Safety recommendation
NTSB Recommends FAA Update Transponder Code Assignment Protocol
The NTSB recommends the FAA modify procedures for assigning transponder codes to VFR aircraft in emergency situations.
The NTSB recommends that the Federal Aviation Administration require controllers in terminal radar facilities, when assigning a transponder code to a VFR aircraft in an emergency status, to execute computer commands so that the computer-assigned code will not inhibit the minimum safe altitude warning (MSAW) alarm.
Original regulatory source: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/sr-details/A-89-110