Narrative:

Aircraft X data block appeared on my radar scope in handoff status. I did not have flight plan information on the aircraft. I requested flight plan information from ZTL and it was forwarded to me. I accepted handoff on aircraft X, who was landing at one of my satellite airports. After handoff was accepted, beacon code started flashing in data block indicating he was not on the computer assigned code. I instructed aircraft X to squawk appropriate code. I instructed aircraft X to squawk appropriate code. I then vectored and descended in preparation for landing. The initial vector did not seem to have the desired effect, so a second vector was issued. In the meantime, the beacon code was still flashing. The aircraft's track appeared to be drifting southwest, but it was still not on a good heading for the airport of intended landing. I issued further vectors to the south and inquired about his transponder code. He reported on ATC assigned code. I then lost primary target, beacon target and data block. Attempting rapid radar identify, I assigned a code from our local VFR code subset. He was then told to identify. I then observed code and identify 30 mi past aircraft X's data block's last position. I immediately idented the aircraft and stopped descent at 60'. The primary target, beacon target and associated data block, on which I had accepted an automated handoff, were located in the latitude and vertical limits of my airspace. However, at the time, I did not know that the aircraft in question, aircraft X, data block had jumped targets prior to appearing on my radar display. The primary target and beacon target associated with aircraft X data block was actually an overflt in ZTL's airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR ACCEPTED WRONG ACFT ON RADAR HANDOFF. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: ACFT X DATA BLOCK APPEARED ON MY RADAR SCOPE IN HDOF STATUS. I DID NOT HAVE FLT PLAN INFO ON THE ACFT. I REQUESTED FLT PLAN INFO FROM ZTL AND IT WAS FORWARDED TO ME. I ACCEPTED HDOF ON ACFT X, WHO WAS LNDG AT ONE OF MY SATELLITE ARPTS. AFTER HDOF WAS ACCEPTED, BEACON CODE STARTED FLASHING IN DATA BLOCK INDICATING HE WAS NOT ON THE COMPUTER ASSIGNED CODE. I INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO SQUAWK APPROPRIATE CODE. I INSTRUCTED ACFT X TO SQUAWK APPROPRIATE CODE. I THEN VECTORED AND DSNDED IN PREPARATION FOR LNDG. THE INITIAL VECTOR DID NOT SEEM TO HAVE THE DESIRED EFFECT, SO A SECOND VECTOR WAS ISSUED. IN THE MEANTIME, THE BEACON CODE WAS STILL FLASHING. THE ACFT'S TRACK APPEARED TO BE DRIFTING SW, BUT IT WAS STILL NOT ON A GOOD HDG FOR THE ARPT OF INTENDED LNDG. I ISSUED FURTHER VECTORS TO THE S AND INQUIRED ABOUT HIS XPONDER CODE. HE RPTED ON ATC ASSIGNED CODE. I THEN LOST PRIMARY TARGET, BEACON TARGET AND DATA BLOCK. ATTEMPTING RAPID RADAR IDENT, I ASSIGNED A CODE FROM OUR LCL VFR CODE SUBSET. HE WAS THEN TOLD TO IDENT. I THEN OBSERVED CODE AND IDENT 30 MI PAST ACFT X'S DATA BLOCK'S LAST POS. I IMMEDIATELY IDENTED THE ACFT AND STOPPED DSNT AT 60'. THE PRIMARY TARGET, BEACON TARGET AND ASSOCIATED DATA BLOCK, ON WHICH I HAD ACCEPTED AN AUTOMATED HDOF, WERE LOCATED IN THE LAT AND VERT LIMITS OF MY AIRSPACE. HOWEVER, AT THE TIME, I DID NOT KNOW THAT THE ACFT IN QUESTION, ACFT X, DATA BLOCK HAD JUMPED TARGETS PRIOR TO APPEARING ON MY RADAR DISPLAY. THE PRIMARY TARGET AND BEACON TARGET ASSOCIATED WITH ACFT X DATA BLOCK WAS ACTUALLY AN OVERFLT IN ZTL'S AIRSPACE.

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.