Narrative:

We had taken a point out from new york center on air carrier X nwbound at 9000 ft. We were busy resolving conflicts involving aircraft in other parts of the sector, and another aircraft had been informed of 'radar contact lost' in the sector. We accepted a handoff on an aircraft Y nebound at 10000 ft. At some point the limited data block was dropped on the point out. At least 6 mins elapsed between the time of the point out and the time I descended aircraft Y eastbound aircraft to 8000 for descent into swf. The conflict alert went off after the 2 aircraft had passed each other. This was the first I had seen of the data block of air carrier X at 9000 ft. What had happened was that the air carrier X we had taken the point out on was not flat-tracked. The aircraft was flying direct to rka, but was still in the computer as going around our sector. This caused the air carrier X data block to be dropped when the handoff to another sector in boston center was initiated. All that remained was the correlated target. This is a dangerous situation. Something should be done so that the entire data block isn't just dropped off the scope. This same situation is probably very common. It just goes unnoticed until something like this happens.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT DSCNT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM ACR X. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: WE HAD TAKEN A POINT OUT FROM NEW YORK CENTER ON ACR X NWBOUND AT 9000 FT. WE WERE BUSY RESOLVING CONFLICTS INVOLVING ACFT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE SECTOR, AND ANOTHER ACFT HAD BEEN INFORMED OF 'RADAR CONTACT LOST' IN THE SECTOR. WE ACCEPTED A HDOF ON AN ACFT Y NEBOUND AT 10000 FT. AT SOME POINT THE LIMITED DATA BLOCK WAS DROPPED ON THE POINT OUT. AT LEAST 6 MINS ELAPSED BTWN THE TIME OF THE POINT OUT AND THE TIME I DSNDED ACFT Y EBOUND ACFT TO 8000 FOR DSCNT INTO SWF. THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF AFTER THE 2 ACFT HAD PASSED EACH OTHER. THIS WAS THE FIRST I HAD SEEN OF THE DATA BLOCK OF ACR X AT 9000 FT. WHAT HAD HAPPENED WAS THAT THE ACR X WE HAD TAKEN THE POINT OUT ON WAS NOT FLAT-TRACKED. THE ACFT WAS FLYING DIRECT TO RKA, BUT WAS STILL IN THE COMPUTER AS GOING AROUND OUR SECTOR. THIS CAUSED THE ACR X DATA BLOCK TO BE DROPPED WHEN THE HDOF TO ANOTHER SECTOR IN BOSTON CENTER WAS INITIATED. ALL THAT REMAINED WAS THE CORRELATED TARGET. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE SO THAT THE ENTIRE DATA BLOCK ISN'T JUST DROPPED OFF THE SCOPE. THIS SAME SITUATION IS PROBABLY VERY COMMON. IT JUST GOES UNNOTICED UNTIL SOMETHING LIKE THIS HAPPENS.

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.