Small aircraft X uncoord unauthorized penetration of adjacent approach control airspace.

Attributes
ACN	249947
Time
Date	199308
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : pmm
State Reference	MI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sbn
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : grr enroute airway : sbn
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	249947
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft X departed satellite airport requesting his IFR clearance. Aircraft was issued a beacon code, altimeter setting and radar identify. The ARTS iia never automatic-acquired the transponder code. 3 mins later the pilot asked for his clearance. He was cleared as filed, told to climb and maintain 8000 ft. Pilot acknowledged clearance. Via quick look function, I verified that he was on correct squawk. He was, so I made a mental note to research why he didn't tag up. My airspace started to get busy, with several unusual sits occurring to draw my attention away from the previous ARTS iia trouble. Due to the location of the fdio keyboard being behind my back, I didn't feel I should turn my back to the radar. And I didn't know that someone was in the room that could have made the computer entries. Consequently, the aircraft was forgotten until he called me over keeler (elx) VOR asking if he should still be talking to me. I told him to stand by, then attempted to find out whose airspace he was in. After several mins, the aircraft contacted ZAU on his own. ZAU contacted me on a landline and told me that the aircraft was in south bend's approach airspace. Because the computer never acquired the transponder code, no one in between my airspace and south bend approach saw the aircraft or even had a flight progress strip.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X UNCOORD UNAUTH PENETRATION OF ADJACENT APCH CTL AIRSPACE.

Narrative: SMA X DEPARTED SATELLITE ARPT REQUESTING HIS IFR CLRNC. ACFT WAS ISSUED A BEACON CODE, ALTIMETER SETTING AND RADAR IDENT. THE ARTS IIA NEVER AUTO-ACQUIRED THE XPONDER CODE. 3 MINS LATER THE PLT ASKED FOR HIS CLRNC. HE WAS CLRED AS FILED, TOLD TO CLB AND MAINTAIN 8000 FT. PLT ACKNOWLEDGED CLRNC. VIA QUICK LOOK FUNCTION, I VERIFIED THAT HE WAS ON CORRECT SQUAWK. HE WAS, SO I MADE A MENTAL NOTE TO RESEARCH WHY HE DIDN'T TAG UP. MY AIRSPACE STARTED TO GET BUSY, WITH SEVERAL UNUSUAL SITS OCCURRING TO DRAW MY ATTN AWAY FROM THE PREVIOUS ARTS IIA TROUBLE. DUE TO THE LOCATION OF THE FDIO KEYBOARD BEING BEHIND MY BACK, I DIDN'T FEEL I SHOULD TURN MY BACK TO THE RADAR. AND I DIDN'T KNOW THAT SOMEONE WAS IN THE ROOM THAT COULD HAVE MADE THE COMPUTER ENTRIES. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT WAS FORGOTTEN UNTIL HE CALLED ME OVER KEELER (ELX) VOR ASKING IF HE SHOULD STILL BE TALKING TO ME. I TOLD HIM TO STAND BY, THEN ATTEMPTED TO FIND OUT WHOSE AIRSPACE HE WAS IN. AFTER SEVERAL MINS, THE ACFT CONTACTED ZAU ON HIS OWN. ZAU CONTACTED ME ON A LANDLINE AND TOLD ME THAT THE ACFT WAS IN SOUTH BEND'S APCH AIRSPACE. BECAUSE THE COMPUTER NEVER ACQUIRED THE XPONDER CODE, NO ONE IN BTWN MY AIRSPACE AND SOUTH BEND APCH SAW THE ACFT OR EVEN HAD A FLT PROGRESS STRIP.

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.