Narrative:

Military X, T-34 en route to nse -- bad mlu V18 jan viii gcu nse level at 9000 ft. Aircraft passed over mlu VORTAC eastbound. Radar antenna is about 1 1/2 mi east of VORTAC. Aircraft's data tag went into coast status as aircraft passed over radar antenna. While aircraft continued eastbound, the target did not reacquire, and the data tag dropped off scope into coast/suspend list (tab). I noted that the tag had dropped, but due to other traffic priorities was not able to immediately restart the track. A couple of mins later I asked aircraft to report his DME from monroe. Pilot's response indicated the aircraft was still well within my airspace, but I was not receiving a beacon target. After handling some other traffic, I advised the aircraft that I was no longer receiving his transponder. The pilot replied that I should be getting it now. As he completed his transmission, I observed a beacon target appear about 30 mi east of monroe, in immediate proximity to the airspace boundary between mlu approach and ZME jackson sector. I attempted to call jackson sector twice, but they wouldn't answer the line. I then issued the aircraft a 180 degree turn (heading 270) to keep him within my airspace. At this time, the beacon target was about 3 mi outside my airspace. I also initiated procedures to reacquire the target. About 1/2 min after issuing the turn to the aircraft, jackson controller called, requesting verification of the beacon target (tag had not yet reacquired). I verified that it was the aircraft, and the jackson controller approved the aircraft back on course at 9000 ft. Shortly thereafter, I was able to reacquire the tag and initiate an automated handoff. The ultimate cause was allowing myself to focus on other aircraft to the point that I allowed this aircraft to drop out, thus making it easier to forget him. The problem was aided by equipment problems -- our facility has had a persistent problem with our beacon/interrogator system not tracking aircraft xponders, or allowing them to drop out. Another controller had a similar incident a couple of months ago, and I had coached my trainee on the exact same problem just a couple of hours prior to this occurrence. Solution -- although our airways facilities technicians claim that the system is within tolerances, all of the controllers in this facility agree that our beacon interrogator system is not up to snuff. Management is aware of this, and has had discussions with the management at airways facilities. We are scheduled to receive a 'new' system in about a yr, once it's delivered from whatever facility is using it now.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: MIL X UNAUTH UNCOORD PENETRATION OF CTR AIRSPACE.

Narrative: MIL X, T-34 ENRTE TO NSE -- BAD MLU V18 JAN VIII GCU NSE LEVEL AT 9000 FT. ACFT PASSED OVER MLU VORTAC EBOUND. RADAR ANTENNA IS ABOUT 1 1/2 MI E OF VORTAC. ACFT'S DATA TAG WENT INTO COAST STATUS AS ACFT PASSED OVER RADAR ANTENNA. WHILE ACFT CONTINUED EBOUND, THE TARGET DID NOT REACQUIRE, AND THE DATA TAG DROPPED OFF SCOPE INTO COAST/SUSPEND LIST (TAB). I NOTED THAT THE TAG HAD DROPPED, BUT DUE TO OTHER TFC PRIORITIES WAS NOT ABLE TO IMMEDIATELY RESTART THE TRACK. A COUPLE OF MINS LATER I ASKED ACFT TO RPT HIS DME FROM MONROE. PLT'S RESPONSE INDICATED THE ACFT WAS STILL WELL WITHIN MY AIRSPACE, BUT I WAS NOT RECEIVING A BEACON TARGET. AFTER HANDLING SOME OTHER TFC, I ADVISED THE ACFT THAT I WAS NO LONGER RECEIVING HIS XPONDER. THE PLT REPLIED THAT I SHOULD BE GETTING IT NOW. AS HE COMPLETED HIS XMISSION, I OBSERVED A BEACON TARGET APPEAR ABOUT 30 MI E OF MONROE, IN IMMEDIATE PROX TO THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY BTWN MLU APCH AND ZME JACKSON SECTOR. I ATTEMPTED TO CALL JACKSON SECTOR TWICE, BUT THEY WOULDN'T ANSWER THE LINE. I THEN ISSUED THE ACFT A 180 DEG TURN (HDG 270) TO KEEP HIM WITHIN MY AIRSPACE. AT THIS TIME, THE BEACON TARGET WAS ABOUT 3 MI OUTSIDE MY AIRSPACE. I ALSO INITIATED PROCS TO REACQUIRE THE TARGET. ABOUT 1/2 MIN AFTER ISSUING THE TURN TO THE ACFT, JACKSON CTLR CALLED, REQUESTING VERIFICATION OF THE BEACON TARGET (TAG HAD NOT YET REACQUIRED). I VERIFIED THAT IT WAS THE ACFT, AND THE JACKSON CTLR APPROVED THE ACFT BACK ON COURSE AT 9000 FT. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I WAS ABLE TO REACQUIRE THE TAG AND INITIATE AN AUTOMATED HDOF. THE ULTIMATE CAUSE WAS ALLOWING MYSELF TO FOCUS ON OTHER ACFT TO THE POINT THAT I ALLOWED THIS ACFT TO DROP OUT, THUS MAKING IT EASIER TO FORGET HIM. THE PROB WAS AIDED BY EQUIP PROBS -- OUR FACILITY HAS HAD A PERSISTENT PROB WITH OUR BEACON/INTERROGATOR SYS NOT TRACKING ACFT XPONDERS, OR ALLOWING THEM TO DROP OUT. ANOTHER CTLR HAD A SIMILAR INCIDENT A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, AND I HAD COACHED MY TRAINEE ON THE EXACT SAME PROB JUST A COUPLE OF HRS PRIOR TO THIS OCCURRENCE. SOLUTION -- ALTHOUGH OUR AIRWAYS FACILITIES TECHNICIANS CLAIM THAT THE SYS IS WITHIN TOLERANCES, ALL OF THE CTLRS IN THIS FACILITY AGREE THAT OUR BEACON INTERROGATOR SYS IS NOT UP TO SNUFF. MGMNT IS AWARE OF THIS, AND HAS HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MGMNT AT AIRWAYS FACILITIES. WE ARE SCHEDULED TO RECEIVE A 'NEW' SYS IN ABOUT A YR, ONCE IT'S DELIVERED FROM WHATEVER FACILITY IS USING IT NOW.

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.