TRACON failed to inform ATCT that small aircraft X was on an IFR flight plan. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	145343
Time
Date	199005
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eyw
State Reference	FL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tower : eyw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	ground : preflight
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	145343
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft X called eyw tower ready to go. I (local controller) gave small aircraft X a left crosswind departure and cleared him for takeoff. Once airborne and turning I switched him to nqx VFR departure control. Within mins nqx approach called and asked if their clearance delivery had told us that small aircraft X was IFR. They hadn't and we said so. This aircraft was launched without his IFR departure clearance because we (eyw) did not know he was IFR. The way things are supposed to happen is: IFR aircraft call nqx for their IFR clearance. Nqx gives it to them and then calls us and says that that aircraft is IFR. Eyw then makes up an abbreviated flight plan strip on the aircraft. When the aircraft calls ready eyw, then calls nqx for release. Nqx then gives eyw departure instructions for the aircraft. Since we didn't know this aircraft was IFR, we just launched him like we would any other VFR aircraft. This situation happens about once every other month, or maybe once a month. I can't get anyone else to write up NASA reports, so I only send in ones that I observe.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON FAILED TO INFORM ATCT THAT SMA X WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: SMA X CALLED EYW TWR READY TO GO. I (LCL CTLR) GAVE SMA X A LEFT XWIND DEP AND CLRED HIM FOR TKOF. ONCE AIRBORNE AND TURNING I SWITCHED HIM TO NQX VFR DEP CTL. WITHIN MINS NQX APCH CALLED AND ASKED IF THEIR CLRNC DELIVERY HAD TOLD US THAT SMA X WAS IFR. THEY HADN'T AND WE SAID SO. THIS ACFT WAS LAUNCHED WITHOUT HIS IFR DEP CLRNC BECAUSE WE (EYW) DID NOT KNOW HE WAS IFR. THE WAY THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IS: IFR ACFT CALL NQX FOR THEIR IFR CLRNC. NQX GIVES IT TO THEM AND THEN CALLS US AND SAYS THAT THAT ACFT IS IFR. EYW THEN MAKES UP AN ABBREVIATED FLT PLAN STRIP ON THE ACFT. WHEN THE ACFT CALLS READY EYW, THEN CALLS NQX FOR RELEASE. NQX THEN GIVES EYW DEP INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE ACFT. SINCE WE DIDN'T KNOW THIS ACFT WAS IFR, WE JUST LAUNCHED HIM LIKE WE WOULD ANY OTHER VFR ACFT. THIS SITUATION HAPPENS ABOUT ONCE EVERY OTHER MONTH, OR MAYBE ONCE A MONTH. I CAN'T GET ANYONE ELSE TO WRITE UP NASA RPTS, SO I ONLY SEND IN ONES THAT I OBSERVE.

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