Narrative:

Downe handoffs took a handoff on small aircraft X on hhr localizer at 3000'. At no time did the downe controller observe a primary radar target. The tag was in CST status when X contacted the downe controller, level at 3000'. The downe controller asked small aircraft X to identify. No identify was observed. The track was still in coast status. The downe controller once again asked X to identify. No identify was observed. The down controller asked X to say heading. X responded 220 degrees. At this time the downe controller observed a target tracking 220 degrees approximately 3 mi north of ful at 3800' descending. The downe controller asked X to turn right heading 260 degrees (a vector for identify). At this time the associated ARTS track was repositioned on the aforementioned target. At this time the downe controller, suspecting this target was small aircraft X and was in another controller's airspace, told X to maintain 4000'. Shortly afterward ont approach called with a traffic alert (aircraft Y) for small aircraft X, 2 O'clock, 2 mi at 4000'. The downe controller issued the traffic alert and told X to descend immediately. X reported leaving 3500' descending. At no time did the downe controller or handoff observe a radar target. The first beacon return was at 23 mi east of lax and the first radar return at 20 mi east of lax. In my opinion the error was due to a variety of reasons: the controller went about most of the steps available to him. The controller, in his zest to try and save a deal in another controller's airspace, actually created one. The aircraft was not established on the localizer as is per letter of agreement with ont, the handing off facility. The ASR-4 radar, the radar with the adequate coverage for the sector, was inoperative and consequently the ASR-7, a radar system that constantly leaves holes in the radar coverage, was used. The a/north tag was repositioned to the wrong target. Lack of knowledge of non radar procedures by the controller. Confusion within the sector.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN SMA AND GA TWIN. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: DOWNE HDOFS TOOK A HDOF ON SMA X ON HHR LOC AT 3000'. AT NO TIME DID THE DOWNE CTLR OBSERVE A PRIMARY RADAR TARGET. THE TAG WAS IN CST STATUS WHEN X CONTACTED THE DOWNE CTLR, LEVEL AT 3000'. THE DOWNE CTLR ASKED SMA X TO IDENT. NO IDENT WAS OBSERVED. THE TRACK WAS STILL IN COAST STATUS. THE DOWNE CTLR ONCE AGAIN ASKED X TO IDENT. NO IDENT WAS OBSERVED. THE DOWN CTLR ASKED X TO SAY HDG. X RESPONDED 220 DEGS. AT THIS TIME THE DOWNE CTLR OBSERVED A TARGET TRACKING 220 DEGS APPROX 3 MI N OF FUL AT 3800' DSNDING. THE DOWNE CTLR ASKED X TO TURN RIGHT HDG 260 DEGS (A VECTOR FOR IDENT). AT THIS TIME THE ASSOCIATED ARTS TRACK WAS REPOSITIONED ON THE AFOREMENTIONED TARGET. AT THIS TIME THE DOWNE CTLR, SUSPECTING THIS TARGET WAS SMA X AND WAS IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE, TOLD X TO MAINTAIN 4000'. SHORTLY AFTERWARD ONT APCH CALLED WITH A TFC ALERT (ACFT Y) FOR SMA X, 2 O'CLOCK, 2 MI AT 4000'. THE DOWNE CTLR ISSUED THE TFC ALERT AND TOLD X TO DSND IMMEDIATELY. X RPTED LEAVING 3500' DSNDING. AT NO TIME DID THE DOWNE CTLR OR HDOF OBSERVE A RADAR TARGET. THE FIRST BEACON RETURN WAS AT 23 MI E OF LAX AND THE FIRST RADAR RETURN AT 20 MI E OF LAX. IN MY OPINION THE ERROR WAS DUE TO A VARIETY OF REASONS: THE CTLR WENT ABOUT MOST OF THE STEPS AVAILABLE TO HIM. THE CTLR, IN HIS ZEST TO TRY AND SAVE A DEAL IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE, ACTUALLY CREATED ONE. THE ACFT WAS NOT ESTABLISHED ON THE LOC AS IS PER LETTER OF AGREEMENT WITH ONT, THE HANDING OFF FAC. THE ASR-4 RADAR, THE RADAR WITH THE ADEQUATE COVERAGE FOR THE SECTOR, WAS INOP AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ASR-7, A RADAR SYS THAT CONSTANTLY LEAVES HOLES IN THE RADAR COVERAGE, WAS USED. THE A/N TAG WAS REPOSITIONED TO THE WRONG TARGET. LACK OF KNOWLEDGE OF NON RADAR PROCS BY THE CTLR. CONFUSION WITHIN THE SECTOR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 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.