Controller forgets IFR aircraft and has system error in another controller's airspace.

Attributes
ACN	316746
Time
Date	199509
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eph
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 14000 msl bound upper : 14000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : zse
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 24
ASRS Report	316746
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 21000 vertical : 300
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft departed VFR, received clearance in the air. 'D' side controller busy on computer and phone. As 'right' side controller, I thought I would tell him to depart aircraft however, it got busy immediately and there is no way to depart aircraft from 'right' (radar) side. Aircraft proceeded on course with a discrete code showing only 'entered next sector' with no hand-off. Next controller issued traffic to other aircraft as this aircraft being VFR (discrete code at 14000 ft level). The error would not have occurred had I had the ability to depart (using computer) from radar side. This has happened to other controllers and should be corrected nationwide.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR FORGETS IFR ACFT AND HAS SYS ERROR IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ACFT DEPARTED VFR, RECEIVED CLRNC IN THE AIR. 'D' SIDE CTLR BUSY ON COMPUTER AND PHONE. AS 'R' SIDE CTLR, I THOUGHT I WOULD TELL HIM TO DEPART ACFT HOWEVER, IT GOT BUSY IMMEDIATELY AND THERE IS NO WAY TO DEPART ACFT FROM 'R' (RADAR) SIDE. ACFT PROCEEDED ON COURSE WITH A DISCRETE CODE SHOWING ONLY 'ENTERED NEXT SECTOR' WITH NO HAND-OFF. NEXT CTLR ISSUED TFC TO OTHER ACFT AS THIS ACFT BEING VFR (DISCRETE CODE AT 14000 FT LEVEL). THE ERROR WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED HAD I HAD THE ABILITY TO DEPART (USING COMPUTER) FROM RADAR SIDE. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO OTHER CTLRS AND SHOULD BE CORRECTED NATIONWIDE.

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.