Controller working combined positions becomes distraction with other traffic and forgets an aircraft...

Attributes
ACN	179325
Time
Date	199105
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : aml airport : dca
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca tower : slc
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	179325
Person 2
Affiliation	government : military
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : military
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Weekend, minimum staffing, working positions combined. Workload was heavy with departures off of bwi, iad, dca, adw. While getting in trail spacing for ZDC 50 mi southwest of dca at altitudes above 15000', I released an mlt X off of adw and had to keep him low and top him with get traffic off of dca. I climbed the mlt to 4000' and turned him north to cross the traffic off of dca. I got so involved working the jet traffic high altitude I forgot the mlt was still at 4000'. The mlt entered iad approach control airspace west/O coordination. Sep was never lost and the mlt was parallel to the airspace boundary. When I realized where the traffic was, I turned him out of the airspace and called iad. They had seen the mlt and there was no traffic around. This could have been avoided if there would have been more people to staff the facility (and open positions) also working aircraft up to FL230 in the terminal environment is not necessary. The supervisor was trying to help, but while he was coordination with ZDC, he lost the picture and couldn't really help. I guess letting my ego get the best of me and trying to be a hero didn't help either.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR WORKING COMBINED POSITIONS BECOMES DISTR WITH OTHER TRAFFIC AND FORGETS AN ACFT. ACFT ENTERS ANOTHER FAC AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD.

Narrative: WEEKEND, MINIMUM STAFFING, WORKING POSITIONS COMBINED. WORKLOAD WAS HVY WITH DEPS OFF OF BWI, IAD, DCA, ADW. WHILE GETTING IN TRAIL SPACING FOR ZDC 50 MI SW OF DCA AT ALTS ABOVE 15000', I RELEASED AN MLT X OFF OF ADW AND HAD TO KEEP HIM LOW AND TOP HIM WITH GET TFC OFF OF DCA. I CLBED THE MLT TO 4000' AND TURNED HIM N TO CROSS THE TFC OFF OF DCA. I GOT SO INVOLVED WORKING THE JET TFC HIGH ALT I FORGOT THE MLT WAS STILL AT 4000'. THE MLT ENTERED IAD APCH CTL AIRSPACE W/O COORD. SEP WAS NEVER LOST AND THE MLT WAS PARALLEL TO THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY. WHEN I REALIZED WHERE THE TFC WAS, I TURNED HIM OUT OF THE AIRSPACE AND CALLED IAD. THEY HAD SEEN THE MLT AND THERE WAS NO TFC AROUND. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED IF THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN MORE PEOPLE TO STAFF THE FAC (AND OPEN POSITIONS) ALSO WORKING ACFT UP TO FL230 IN THE TERMINAL ENVIRONMENT IS NOT NECESSARY. THE SUPVR WAS TRYING TO HELP, BUT WHILE HE WAS COORD WITH ZDC, HE LOST THE PICTURE AND COULDN'T REALLY HELP. I GUESS LETTING MY EGO GET THE BEST OF ME AND TRYING TO BE A HERO DIDN'T HELP EITHER.

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.

Controller working combined positions becomes distraction with other traffic and forgets an aircraft. Aircraft enters another facility airspace without coordination.