Narrative:

I was working the non radar position at ZID, northeast love. There was small aircraft X on approach at zzv. Small aircraft Y called from zzv, VFR, requesting an IFR clearance. Small aircraft Y was advised that there was an aircraft on approach. Small aircraft Y departed VFR but could not continue to climb VFR to get above the protected airspace for the zzv approach. (Aircraft types used in narrative due to similar call signs.) when small aircraft X called, he didn't say missed approach or cancel IFR either. He requested an IFR clearance to hlg to practice approachs, then landed at 2g2. When asked if small aircraft X could hold at zzv (so we could get small aircraft Y a clearance), he stated that he would circle the field and maintain 3500 ft (the IFR missed approach altitude is 3000 ft). When I attempted to remove the inland flight plan (fp) on small aircraft X I mistakenly removed an small aircraft Z at 7000 on west side of area. At that time, hlg sector called because they saw small aircraft Y code approaching them, climbing and they had traffic at 8000. They called radar contact (we did not see a target) and approved IFR climbing to 7000. When I tried to depart the outbound flight plan on small aircraft X it would not start (because correct inbound still active). The radar controller looked up the flight plan by call sign and started a track on the number of the flight plan that was displayed. At this time, the right controller and I believed there were 2 computer numbers on the inbound for this aircraft and that he had tagged the second. In reality, the inbound track had just moved over. Since the pilot requested practice approachs, the right controller suggested that I amend the flight plan to land at hlg and add 'destination 2g2' to the 'practice approachs at hlg' that was in the remarks section. I did this and verbally coordinated with hlg sector to make sure they understood. In retrospect, I removed the wrong flight plan. No excuses. I didn't realize the error because the 'practice approachs' amendment served to change the inbound flight plan to reflect the outbound destination. In my mind, I had removed 1 flight plan and started one as normal. Though not causative, the question of small aircraft X thinking he was VFR and small aircraft Y stuck under the clouds VFR requesting IFR captured my attention. The error was brought to my attention when the investigation began later that day.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR REMOVED ACTIVE FLT PLAN ON SMA Z BY MISTAKE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE NON RADAR POS AT ZID, NE LOVE. THERE WAS SMA X ON APCH AT ZZV. SMA Y CALLED FROM ZZV, VFR, REQUESTING AN IFR CLRNC. SMA Y WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN ACFT ON APCH. SMA Y DEPARTED VFR BUT COULD NOT CONTINUE TO CLB VFR TO GET ABOVE THE PROTECTED AIRSPACE FOR THE ZZV APCH. (ACFT TYPES USED IN NARRATIVE DUE TO SIMILAR CALL SIGNS.) WHEN SMA X CALLED, HE DIDN'T SAY MISSED APCH OR CANCEL IFR EITHER. HE REQUESTED AN IFR CLRNC TO HLG TO PRACTICE APCHS, THEN LANDED AT 2G2. WHEN ASKED IF SMA X COULD HOLD AT ZZV (SO WE COULD GET SMA Y A CLRNC), HE STATED THAT HE WOULD CIRCLE THE FIELD AND MAINTAIN 3500 FT (THE IFR MISSED APCH ALT IS 3000 FT). WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE INLAND FLT PLAN (FP) ON SMA X I MISTAKENLY REMOVED AN SMA Z AT 7000 ON W SIDE OF AREA. AT THAT TIME, HLG SECTOR CALLED BECAUSE THEY SAW SMA Y CODE APCHING THEM, CLBING AND THEY HAD TFC AT 8000. THEY CALLED RADAR CONTACT (WE DID NOT SEE A TARGET) AND APPROVED IFR CLBING TO 7000. WHEN I TRIED TO DEPART THE OUTBOUND FLT PLAN ON SMA X IT WOULD NOT START (BECAUSE CORRECT INBOUND STILL ACTIVE). THE RADAR CTLR LOOKED UP THE FLT PLAN BY CALL SIGN AND STARTED A TRACK ON THE NUMBER OF THE FLT PLAN THAT WAS DISPLAYED. AT THIS TIME, THE R CTLR AND I BELIEVED THERE WERE 2 COMPUTER NUMBERS ON THE INBOUND FOR THIS ACFT AND THAT HE HAD TAGGED THE SECOND. IN REALITY, THE INBOUND TRACK HAD JUST MOVED OVER. SINCE THE PLT REQUESTED PRACTICE APCHS, THE R CTLR SUGGESTED THAT I AMEND THE FLT PLAN TO LAND AT HLG AND ADD 'DEST 2G2' TO THE 'PRACTICE APCHS AT HLG' THAT WAS IN THE REMARKS SECTION. I DID THIS AND VERBALLY COORDINATED WITH HLG SECTOR TO MAKE SURE THEY UNDERSTOOD. IN RETROSPECT, I REMOVED THE WRONG FLT PLAN. NO EXCUSES. I DIDN'T REALIZE THE ERROR BECAUSE THE 'PRACTICE APCHS' AMENDMENT SERVED TO CHANGE THE INBOUND FLT PLAN TO REFLECT THE OUTBOUND DEST. IN MY MIND, I HAD REMOVED 1 FLT PLAN AND STARTED ONE AS NORMAL. THOUGH NOT CAUSATIVE, THE QUESTION OF SMA X THINKING HE WAS VFR AND SMA Y STUCK UNDER THE CLOUDS VFR REQUESTING IFR CAPTURED MY ATTN. THE ERROR WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN WHEN THE INVESTIGATION BEGAN LATER THAT DAY.

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.