Narrative:

I was working a busy arrival sector with no handoff help. I had given control instructions to the center on 2 aircraft and control instructions on another aircraft to the adjacent sector. The next minute I noticed 3 IFR aircraft handoffs had been taken and aircraft were coming on frequency and not on the letter of agreements flows nor what I coordinated. The adjacent sector asked if I was ok with 2 aircraft (1 he had just given me). I asked why he had not done what I told him. He responded, 'the supervisor gave me control instructions.' this situation was solely and directly caused by a supervisor taking handoffs and giving control instructions west/O knowing what's going on. There may have been more than 1 system error. We have had this problem before. This particular supervisor was idented in a facility evaluation (by washington, dc) as having taken a pointout on an aircraft and there was no aircraft on the scope. He also failed to tell radar controller! Incredible! The easiest way to prevent this is to force all people including supervisors to get a briefing and sign on position before issuing any instructions.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: 3 IFR ACFT ARE HANDED OFF TO CTLR CONTRARY TO PREVIOUS COORD RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING A BUSY ARR SECTOR WITH NO HDOF HELP. I HAD GIVEN CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO THE CENTER ON 2 ACFT AND CTL INSTRUCTIONS ON ANOTHER ACFT TO THE ADJACENT SECTOR. THE NEXT MINUTE I NOTICED 3 IFR ACFT HDOFS HAD BEEN TAKEN AND ACFT WERE COMING ON FREQ AND NOT ON THE LETTER OF AGREEMENTS FLOWS NOR WHAT I COORDINATED. THE ADJACENT SECTOR ASKED IF I WAS OK WITH 2 ACFT (1 HE HAD JUST GIVEN ME). I ASKED WHY HE HAD NOT DONE WHAT I TOLD HIM. HE RESPONDED, 'THE SUPVR GAVE ME CTL INSTRUCTIONS.' THIS SITUATION WAS SOLELY AND DIRECTLY CAUSED BY A SUPVR TAKING HDOFS AND GIVING CTL INSTRUCTIONS W/O KNOWING WHAT'S GOING ON. THERE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE THAN 1 SYS ERROR. WE HAVE HAD THIS PROB BEFORE. THIS PARTICULAR SUPVR WAS IDENTED IN A FAC EVALUATION (BY WASHINGTON, DC) AS HAVING TAKEN A POINTOUT ON AN ACFT AND THERE WAS NO ACFT ON THE SCOPE. HE ALSO FAILED TO TELL RADAR CTLR! INCREDIBLE! THE EASIEST WAY TO PREVENT THIS IS TO FORCE ALL PEOPLE INCLUDING SUPVRS TO GET A BRIEFING AND SIGN ON POS BEFORE ISSUING ANY INSTRUCTIONS.

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.