A GA PLT IN HIS VAN'S RV6A ATTEMPTS A VFR DEP WITHOUT A VALID XPONDER CODE ASSIGNMENT FROM PCT PRIOR TO TKOF FROM 2W5; MD.

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AFTER LNDG AT MARYLAND ARPT (2W5) AT XA52; I CLOSED OUT MY DVFR FLT PLAN WITH ELKINS FSS AND REFILED FOR AN XC30 ESTIMATED TIME OF DEP. AT APPROX XC30; I STARTED THE ENG AND ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT POTOMAC APCH/DEP CTL FOR AN ASSIGNED XPONDER CODE FOR EXITING THE ADIZ. I WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN MY ATTEMPT BUT; SINCE I HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A CODE WHILE AIRBORNE ON THE INBOUND FLT; I ASSUMED THE PROCESS WOULD BE THE SAME IN REVERSE FOR MY DEP. I WAS AWARE THAT CODES WERE REQUIRED BY TELEPHONE ASSIGNMENT FOR THE SO-CALLED 'DC3' BUT; SINCE 2W5 IS NOT ONE OF THOSE 3 ARPTS; I ASSUMED THE CODE COULD BE PICKED UP ONCE AIRBORNE; JUST AS CLRNCS FROM UNTOWERED FIELDS FREQUENTLY ARE. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY REQUIREMENT TO OBTAIN A XPONDER CODE AND CONTACT FREQ; ON THE GND; AT THIS ARPT; PRIOR TO TKOF. SUBSEQUENTLY; I TOOK OFF AT APPROX XC40; TURNING WITHIN 2 NM OF THE ARPT; SO THAT I WOULD REMAIN IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY WHILE CONTACTING POTOMAC DEP. I WAS NEARLY OVERHEAD THE ARPT WHEN CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED AND POTOMAC ADVISED ME TO LAND IMMEDIATELY AND OBTAIN A CODE. I DID AS INSTRUCTED; LNDG WITHIN 1 MIN OF BEING SO INSTRUCTED. AFTER LNDG; I WENT TO THE FBO OFFICE; WHERE I FOUND THE CORRECT PHONE NUMBER FOR THE TRACON. I CALLED; AND MY ERROR WAS ACKNOWLEDGED BY AN UNIDENTED FEMALE PERSON; WHO GAVE ME A XPONDER CODE AND FREQ 118.95; AND SHE TOLD ME THAT WAS ALL I NEEDED. I THEN RETURNED TO MY PLANE AND STRAPPED IN. AS I WAS DOING THAT; AN UNIDENTED GENTLEMAN WALKED OUT OF THE FBO OFFICE; CELL PHONE IN HAND; AND HANDED IT TO ME. THE CALLER WAS FROM UNITED STATES CUSTOMS; AND WHEN I TOLD HIM WHAT HAD HAPPENED; AND THAT I HAD NOW BEEN GIVEN A CODE AND FREQ; HE SAID THAT I WAS GOOD TO GO. AFTER TAKING OFF; AND CONTACTING POTOMAC DEP CTL; I WAS TOLD TO CALL ATC REGARDING A POSSIBLE PLT FLT VIOLATION; UPON LNDG AT MY DEST. I SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED; CALLED FSS TO CLOSE MY FLT PLAN; AND THEN CALLED THE NUMBER GIVEN. I SPOKE TO A GENTLEMAN WHO ASKED ME A FEW QUESTIONS REGARDING THE INCIDENT; AND WHO THEN INFORMED ME THAT I WOULD PROBABLY BE HEARING FROM FLT STANDARDS AT SOME FUTURE TIME. HE ALSO SUGGESTED THAT I FILE THIS NASA RPT. SINCE I HAD NEVER FLOWN INTO THE WASHINGTON; DC; ADIZ BEFORE; I HAD ATTEMPTED TO RESEARCH THE ENTIRE FLT VERY CAREFULLY PRIOR TO INITIAL TKOF; AND I TRULY BELIEVED THAT I WAS SATISFYING ALL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE FLT. I REGRET MY ERROR. I HAVE CERTAINLY LEARNED FROM THIS EXPERIENCE; AND I WILL NOT MAKE SUCH AN ERROR AGAIN!