Less than severe conflict occurred between a C172 in class B airspace without clearance and a descending SF34 commuter flight. Reporter did not issue traffic as it was assumed to be a false target. Flight crew of the SF34 reported sighting a C172. Reporter claims facility has had numerous false targets.

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Attributes
ACN	335458
Time
Date	199605
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mem
State Reference	TN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 4500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mem
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	SF 340A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	approach : visual
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : private pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 15 flight time total : 1500
ASRS Report	335458
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation other

Narrative:

I was vectoring air carrier X over the ILS for a right downwind. He was descending out of 6000 ft for 4000 ft when I saw the secondary target approximately 5 mi northeast of mem. I made a comment to my supervisor that it looked like we have another false target. My vector to air carrier X would have taken him south of the target. Since I believed this to be a false target, traffic was not issued. When air carrier X aircraft passed the target he then told me that there was a cessna back there. Later I was told that another controller was working the cessna and that the aircraft used the wrong transponder code and entered the class B airspace without a clearance. Memphis has had numerous false targets that appear north and south of the airport. Maintenance is well aware and working on this issue.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN SEVERE CONFLICT OCCURRED BTWN A C172 IN CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC AND A DSNDING SF34 COMMUTER FLT. RPTR DID NOT ISSUE TFC AS IT WAS ASSUMED TO BE A FALSE TARGET. FLC OF THE SF34 RPTED SIGHTING A C172. RPTR CLAIMS FACILITY HAS HAD NUMEROUS FALSE TARGETS.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORING ACR X OVER THE ILS FOR A R DOWNWIND. HE WAS DSNDING OUT OF 6000 FT FOR 4000 FT WHEN I SAW THE SECONDARY TARGET APPROX 5 MI NE OF MEM. I MADE A COMMENT TO MY SUPVR THAT IT LOOKED LIKE WE HAVE ANOTHER FALSE TARGET. MY VECTOR TO ACR X WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM S OF THE TARGET. SINCE I BELIEVED THIS TO BE A FALSE TARGET, TFC WAS NOT ISSUED. WHEN ACR X ACFT PASSED THE TARGET HE THEN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A CESSNA BACK THERE. LATER I WAS TOLD THAT ANOTHER CTLR WAS WORKING THE CESSNA AND THAT THE ACFT USED THE WRONG XPONDER CODE AND ENTERED THE CLASS B AIRSPACE WITHOUT A CLRNC. MEMPHIS HAS HAD NUMEROUS FALSE TARGETS THAT APPEAR N AND S OF THE ARPT. MAINT IS WELL AWARE AND WORKING ON THIS ISSUE.

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.