Air carrier X unauthorized uncoord penetration of adjacent center airspace. Operational deviation.

Attributes
ACN	262208
Time
Date	199401
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bfm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zhu tracon : mob
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	262208
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	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:

ATC was working radar departure/arrival control at mobile approach. Air carrier X departed runway 14 off bfm ATC told air carrier X to turn left heading 360 degrees and climb/maintain 10000 ft. ATC did not observe data tag transponder or primary target. ATC was talking to 8 other aircraft with 3 practice approachs on frequency. Air carrier X called and asked if ATC forgot about him, still heading 360 degrees and level at 10000 ft. ATC asked position of air carrier X, position report indicated air carrier X was approximately 45-50 mi north of bfm in adjacent center airspace. ATC coordinated with ZHU. No other aircraft were involved. I believe incident occurred because ATC became unaware of air carrier X due to: 1) transponder failure on aircraft.2) practice approachs at primary airport. 3) ATC poor scan of flight progress strips. I believe this would not have happened if: 1) ATC improved scan of flight progress strips. 2) aircraft would have questioned ATC sooner instead of leveling at 10000 ft and staying on a 360 degree vector for 50 mi without suspicions. 3) had an automation system that would track primary targets.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH UNCOORD PENETRATION OF ADJACENT CTR AIRSPACE. OPDEV.

Narrative: ATC WAS WORKING RADAR DEP/ARR CTL AT MOBILE APCH. ACR X DEPARTED RWY 14 OFF BFM ATC TOLD ACR X TO TURN L HDG 360 DEGS AND CLB/MAINTAIN 10000 FT. ATC DID NOT OBSERVE DATA TAG XPONDER OR PRIMARY TARGET. ATC WAS TALKING TO 8 OTHER ACFT WITH 3 PRACTICE APCHS ON FREQ. ACR X CALLED AND ASKED IF ATC FORGOT ABOUT HIM, STILL HDG 360 DEGS AND LEVEL AT 10000 FT. ATC ASKED POS OF ACR X, POS RPT INDICATED ACR X WAS APPROX 45-50 MI N OF BFM IN ADJACENT CTR AIRSPACE. ATC COORDINATED WITH ZHU. NO OTHER ACFT WERE INVOLVED. I BELIEVE INCIDENT OCCURRED BECAUSE ATC BECAME UNAWARE OF ACR X DUE TO: 1) XPONDER FAILURE ON ACFT.2) PRACTICE APCHS AT PRIMARY ARPT. 3) ATC POOR SCAN OF FLT PROGRESS STRIPS. I BELIEVE THIS WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF: 1) ATC IMPROVED SCAN OF FLT PROGRESS STRIPS. 2) ACFT WOULD HAVE QUESTIONED ATC SOONER INSTEAD OF LEVELING AT 10000 FT AND STAYING ON A 360 DEG VECTOR FOR 50 MI WITHOUT SUSPICIONS. 3) HAD AN AUTOMATION SYS THAT WOULD TRACK PRIMARY TARGETS.

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.