Narrative:

I was working the bfd radar sector at approximately XX00 on aug/wed/95. Aircraft X called from bradford airport requesting clearance, and was given a clearance. I inadvertently did not depart the flight plan on the d-side computer. Aircraft X departed off bradford airport and called me on 124.32. A primary target but no beacon code was observed, and was given his code to squawk again. I cannot recall observing his code. Because the flight plan was not departed, the data block on aircraft X did not automatic acquire. Several mins later I was relieved of the position. I believe I told the relieving controller to start track on aircraft X. He may have tried to start track but, because the flight plan wasn't departed, no data block ever was started. Because of distraction and/or oversight on my part and possibly the relieving controller, aircraft X flew to his destination near aco without a radar handoff to yng approach. The pilot subsequently called on 124.32 and asked for lower. The controller then initiated a point out to yng approach which was approved. Shortly thereafter, aircraft X canceled and went VFR the last 10 mi or so to his destination. This and other incidents similar to this could be prevented if our computer was programmed to scan for beacon codes assigned by the computer to aircraft departing small airports within our airspace. The computer should be programmed to automatically depart these flight plans when it picks up the transponder codes. This would prevent a flight plan from inadvertently not being departed.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPDEV WHEN ACFT X ENTERED TERMINAL AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD HDOF.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE BFD RADAR SECTOR AT APPROX XX00 ON AUG/WED/95. ACFT X CALLED FROM BRADFORD ARPT REQUESTING CLRNC, AND WAS GIVEN A CLRNC. I INADVERTENTLY DID NOT DEPART THE FLT PLAN ON THE D-SIDE COMPUTER. ACFT X DEPARTED OFF BRADFORD ARPT AND CALLED ME ON 124.32. A PRIMARY TARGET BUT NO BEACON CODE WAS OBSERVED, AND WAS GIVEN HIS CODE TO SQUAWK AGAIN. I CANNOT RECALL OBSERVING HIS CODE. BECAUSE THE FLT PLAN WAS NOT DEPARTED, THE DATA BLOCK ON ACFT X DID NOT AUTO ACQUIRE. SEVERAL MINS LATER I WAS RELIEVED OF THE POS. I BELIEVE I TOLD THE RELIEVING CTLR TO START TRACK ON ACFT X. HE MAY HAVE TRIED TO START TRACK BUT, BECAUSE THE FLT PLAN WASN'T DEPARTED, NO DATA BLOCK EVER WAS STARTED. BECAUSE OF DISTR AND/OR OVERSIGHT ON MY PART AND POSSIBLY THE RELIEVING CTLR, ACFT X FLEW TO HIS DEST NEAR ACO WITHOUT A RADAR HDOF TO YNG APCH. THE PLT SUBSEQUENTLY CALLED ON 124.32 AND ASKED FOR LOWER. THE CTLR THEN INITIATED A POINT OUT TO YNG APCH WHICH WAS APPROVED. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ACFT X CANCELED AND WENT VFR THE LAST 10 MI OR SO TO HIS DEST. THIS AND OTHER INCIDENTS SIMILAR TO THIS COULD BE PREVENTED IF OUR COMPUTER WAS PROGRAMMED TO SCAN FOR BEACON CODES ASSIGNED BY THE COMPUTER TO ACFT DEPARTING SMALL ARPTS WITHIN OUR AIRSPACE. THE COMPUTER SHOULD BE PROGRAMMED TO AUTOMATICALLY DEPART THESE FLT PLANS WHEN IT PICKS UP THE XPONDER CODES. THIS WOULD PREVENT A FLT PLAN FROM INADVERTENTLY NOT BEING DEPARTED.

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.