Narrative:

While working ZLC sector 5 (ground to infinity), I first noticed the quick action keyguard (qak) was not functioning. The standard procedure under this circumstance is to jar the qak to loosen any stuck keys. I did this and the qak started working again. Since I had called the technician mins earlier about this problem, I called back to report that I had given the qak a thump and it was working now. He replied, 'that's fine, as long as it's working now.' approximately 10 mins later during busy traffic I received a handoff from ZSE on 2 medium large transport X/Y aircraft. This aircraft checked in as a flight. I had no information on the other aircraft (mlt Y). At this time I looked for a supervisor to get me a d-side, but could not find one. I checked the r-ckd and it showed a flight not active mlt. I got a flight plan readout from the d-side crd, which showed a proposed flight plan that originated in ZSE but had not been activated.I tried to enter a departure message but the d-side heyboard and qak was jammed again . At this time ZSE called and asked if I had any information on mlt Y. I told ZSE to activate the flight plan on mlt Y and to handoff a data block. ZSE agreed, but only gave me a data block but no flight plan information. Mlt X was calling wanting to break up the formation and proceed out of my sector. Needing to get the flight plan into the system I tried jarring the qak with no results. I then tried jarring the (ank) keyboard with my hand and then my foot, hoping to get them to work, as I had only a few mins earlier. At this time a supervisor finally arrived, but instead of giving me a hand he chastised me for banging on the equipment. I explained the situation and the supervisor left. I thought he went to get me some d-side help. 1 min later with no relief in sight I called the tech to notify him that I couldn't get the ank or the qak to function. The tech replaced the qak and said it had a loose wire. Everything worked fine then. I put the flight plan in for mlt Y and then amended it to reflect the new route.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FAULTY ANK QAK KEYBOARD AT CTLR'S SECTOR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING ZLC SECTOR 5 (GND TO INFINITY), I FIRST NOTICED THE QUICK ACTION KEYGUARD (QAK) WAS NOT FUNCTIONING. THE STANDARD PROC UNDER THIS CIRCUMSTANCE IS TO JAR THE QAK TO LOOSEN ANY STUCK KEYS. I DID THIS AND THE QAK STARTED WORKING AGAIN. SINCE I HAD CALLED THE TECHNICIAN MINS EARLIER ABOUT THIS PROB, I CALLED BACK TO RPT THAT I HAD GIVEN THE QAK A THUMP AND IT WAS WORKING NOW. HE REPLIED, 'THAT'S FINE, AS LONG AS IT'S WORKING NOW.' APPROX 10 MINS LATER DURING BUSY TFC I RECEIVED A HDOF FROM ZSE ON 2 MLG X/Y ACFT. THIS ACFT CHKED IN AS A FLT. I HAD NO INFO ON THE OTHER ACFT (MLT Y). AT THIS TIME I LOOKED FOR A SUPVR TO GET ME A D-SIDE, BUT COULD NOT FIND ONE. I CHKED THE R-CKD AND IT SHOWED A FLT NOT ACTIVE MLT. I GOT A FLT PLAN READOUT FROM THE D-SIDE CRD, WHICH SHOWED A PROPOSED FLT PLAN THAT ORIGINATED IN ZSE BUT HAD NOT BEEN ACTIVATED.I TRIED TO ENTER A DEP MESSAGE BUT THE D-SIDE HEYBOARD AND QAK WAS JAMMED AGAIN . AT THIS TIME ZSE CALLED AND ASKED IF I HAD ANY INFO ON MLT Y. I TOLD ZSE TO ACTIVATE THE FLT PLAN ON MLT Y AND TO HDOF A DATA BLOCK. ZSE AGREED, BUT ONLY GAVE ME A DATA BLOCK BUT NO FLT PLAN INFO. MLT X WAS CALLING WANTING TO BREAK UP THE FORMATION AND PROCEED OUT OF MY SECTOR. NEEDING TO GET THE FLT PLAN INTO THE SYS I TRIED JARRING THE QAK WITH NO RESULTS. I THEN TRIED JARRING THE (ANK) KEYBOARD WITH MY HAND AND THEN MY FOOT, HOPING TO GET THEM TO WORK, AS I HAD ONLY A FEW MINS EARLIER. AT THIS TIME A SUPVR FINALLY ARRIVED, BUT INSTEAD OF GIVING ME A HAND HE CHASTISED ME FOR BANGING ON THE EQUIP. I EXPLAINED THE SITUATION AND THE SUPVR LEFT. I THOUGHT HE WENT TO GET ME SOME D-SIDE HELP. 1 MIN LATER WITH NO RELIEF IN SIGHT I CALLED THE TECH TO NOTIFY HIM THAT I COULDN'T GET THE ANK OR THE QAK TO FUNCTION. THE TECH REPLACED THE QAK AND SAID IT HAD A LOOSE WIRE. EVERYTHING WORKED FINE THEN. I PUT THE FLT PLAN IN FOR MLT Y AND THEN AMENDED IT TO REFLECT THE NEW RTE.

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.