Controller forgot about IFR aircraft after transponder failed.

Attributes
ACN	110874
Time
Date	198905
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cll
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : zhu
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 51 flight time total : 730 flight time type : 102
ASRS Report	110874
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

IFR clearance was obtained through R60 and I departed normally from iws. Checked in with departure on 123.8 and controller advised I was in radar contact. I was given a vector, advised to intercept V548 and cleared to 5000'. I proceeded to fly this clearance. Well after I should have been handed off to center, I called departure and inquired when I could expect 6000' (my cruising altitude). This was meant to be a gentle reminder to the controller that I was still with him. Boy was it--controller got real excited. Requested my current position which I gave him. Was then asked which airport I had departed and who had given me my clearance. I replied with the information. Shortly thereafter I was handed off to ZHU (125.15). I called ZHU TRACON after landing and discussed what had happened with the supervisor. Apparently my transponder failed, which according to the supervisor caused my target to completely disappear and the controller completely forgot about me until I called in south of clc. According to the supervisor, an operational deviation notice was filed on this event. A couple of suggestions to avoid this problem: first, enhance ARTS so that an intermittent transponder does not cause a target to disappear. As I understand it, the controller must make an entry for ARTS to continue tracking a target after the transponder fails. This should not be required if there is still a primary target. Show sector boundaries on IFR charts. This would help pilots doublechk that handoffs occur in a timely manner.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FORGOT ABOUT IFR ACFT AFTER TRANSPONDER FAILED.

Narrative: IFR CLRNC WAS OBTAINED THROUGH R60 AND I DEPARTED NORMALLY FROM IWS. CHKED IN WITH DEP ON 123.8 AND CTLR ADVISED I WAS IN RADAR CONTACT. I WAS GIVEN A VECTOR, ADVISED TO INTERCEPT V548 AND CLRED TO 5000'. I PROCEEDED TO FLY THIS CLRNC. WELL AFTER I SHOULD HAVE BEEN HANDED OFF TO CENTER, I CALLED DEP AND INQUIRED WHEN I COULD EXPECT 6000' (MY CRUISING ALT). THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A GENTLE REMINDER TO THE CTLR THAT I WAS STILL WITH HIM. BOY WAS IT--CTLR GOT REAL EXCITED. REQUESTED MY CURRENT POS WHICH I GAVE HIM. WAS THEN ASKED WHICH ARPT I HAD DEPARTED AND WHO HAD GIVEN ME MY CLRNC. I REPLIED WITH THE INFO. SHORTLY THEREAFTER I WAS HANDED OFF TO ZHU (125.15). I CALLED ZHU TRACON AFTER LNDG AND DISCUSSED WHAT HAD HAPPENED WITH THE SUPVR. APPARENTLY MY XPONDER FAILED, WHICH ACCORDING TO THE SUPVR CAUSED MY TARGET TO COMPLETELY DISAPPEAR AND THE CTLR COMPLETELY FORGOT ABOUT ME UNTIL I CALLED IN S OF CLC. ACCORDING TO THE SUPVR, AN OPERATIONAL DEVIATION NOTICE WAS FILED ON THIS EVENT. A COUPLE OF SUGGESTIONS TO AVOID THIS PROB: FIRST, ENHANCE ARTS SO THAT AN INTERMITTENT XPONDER DOES NOT CAUSE A TARGET TO DISAPPEAR. AS I UNDERSTAND IT, THE CTLR MUST MAKE AN ENTRY FOR ARTS TO CONTINUE TRACKING A TARGET AFTER THE XPONDER FAILS. THIS SHOULD NOT BE REQUIRED IF THERE IS STILL A PRIMARY TARGET. SHOW SECTOR BOUNDARIES ON IFR CHARTS. THIS WOULD HELP PLTS DOUBLECHK THAT HDOFS OCCUR IN A TIMELY MANNER.

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.