Narrative:

Cape sector at boston ARTCC assumed control of otis approach control airspace at XA00Z. At that time was advised air carrier X was cleared to depart martha's vineyard, ma for teterboro, nj, cleared to 2000' MSL but not issued a clearance void time by otis approach control. Approach controller stated no void time issued because pilot air carrier X said he would depart within 10 mins of the time he was issued a departure clearance. Approach control then went home and closed otis approach. More than 15 mins passed since approach control closed and air carrier X was still not departed from martha's vineyard. Because of this, an air taxi was held at 4000' MSL over the martha's vineyard VOR. Once in holding the air taxi advised center that air carrier X had his clearance, but no release (center has no frequency coverage and departure clrncs are normally relayed thru FSS). As this was occurring bridgeport FSS was calling cape sector at ZBW for a release and departure clearance from nantucket, ma, to teterboro, nj, on air carrier Y. (The same aircraft supposedly cleared from martha's vineyard, ma). Nantucket is located 26 mi east of martha's vineyard and also serviced by otis approach control when open. The bridgeport FSS was supposedly talking to air carrier X on a unicom frequency and was adamant air carrier X was at nantucket while the air taxi, relaying, was saying air carrier X was at martha's vineyard. As things developed air carrier X was at martha's vineyard but departure clearance was cancelled via relay thru air taxi as air carrier X could not depart right away. A very poor and potentially hazardous situation that I have not seen in 10 yrs of air traffic control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR MLG DELAYED TKOF AT NON TWR ARPT CAUSING ANOTHER ACFT TO HOLD IN THE AIR.

Narrative: CAPE SECTOR AT BOSTON ARTCC ASSUMED CTL OF OTIS APCH CTL AIRSPACE AT XA00Z. AT THAT TIME WAS ADVISED ACR X WAS CLRED TO DEPART MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA FOR TETERBORO, NJ, CLRED TO 2000' MSL BUT NOT ISSUED A CLRNC VOID TIME BY OTIS APCH CTL. APCH CTLR STATED NO VOID TIME ISSUED BECAUSE PLT ACR X SAID HE WOULD DEPART WITHIN 10 MINS OF THE TIME HE WAS ISSUED A DEP CLRNC. APCH CTL THEN WENT HOME AND CLOSED OTIS APCH. MORE THAN 15 MINS PASSED SINCE APCH CTL CLOSED AND ACR X WAS STILL NOT DEPARTED FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD. BECAUSE OF THIS, AN AIR TAXI WAS HELD AT 4000' MSL OVER THE MARTHA'S VINEYARD VOR. ONCE IN HOLDING THE AIR TAXI ADVISED CENTER THAT ACR X HAD HIS CLRNC, BUT NO RELEASE (CENTER HAS NO FREQ COVERAGE AND DEP CLRNCS ARE NORMALLY RELAYED THRU FSS). AS THIS WAS OCCURRING BRIDGEPORT FSS WAS CALLING CAPE SECTOR AT ZBW FOR A RELEASE AND DEP CLRNC FROM NANTUCKET, MA, TO TETERBORO, NJ, ON ACR Y. (THE SAME ACFT SUPPOSEDLY CLRED FROM MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA). NANTUCKET IS LOCATED 26 MI E OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD AND ALSO SERVICED BY OTIS APCH CTL WHEN OPEN. THE BRIDGEPORT FSS WAS SUPPOSEDLY TALKING TO ACR X ON A UNICOM FREQ AND WAS ADAMANT ACR X WAS AT NANTUCKET WHILE THE AIR TAXI, RELAYING, WAS SAYING ACR X WAS AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD. AS THINGS DEVELOPED ACR X WAS AT MARTHA'S VINEYARD BUT DEP CLRNC WAS CANCELLED VIA RELAY THRU AIR TAXI AS ACR X COULD NOT DEPART RIGHT AWAY. A VERY POOR AND POTENTIALLY HAZARDOUS SITUATION THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN IN 10 YRS OF AIR TFC CTL.

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.