Tower local controller has concern when multiple flight plans are displayed on a C650 requesting clearance. Controller assumes that if he cancels one of the flight plans, he would cause the ZTL controller's data block to drop.

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Attributes
ACN	392417
Time
Date	199801
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mgm
State Reference	AL
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation III, VI, VII
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument
Experience	controller radar : 15 flight time total : 350
ASRS Report	392417
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While working all position at mgm (local control, ground control, and clearance delivery) traffic very light. Aircraft calls clearance delivery requesting IFR clearance from mgm to bhm. Aircraft told to standby as I have no flight plan information. I check the computer, 3 flight plans in the system -- active, a proposal off mgm, a proposal off bhm. This is a common occurrence due to a first turn around. The inbound flight plan hasn't had enough time to drop from the system and the proposed flight plan time has to be amended to generate a beacon code. Just by luck, I asked aircraft his position. He was 40 mi southwest of mgm descending out of 11000 ft. ZTL's airspace. If I had removed the old flight plan, this would have removed all radar data information from ZTL while aircraft was in their airspace. Corrective action: pilots should not request a clearance while airborne or at least advise controller of position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TWR LCL CTLR HAS CONCERN WHEN MULTIPLE FLT PLANS ARE DISPLAYED ON A C650 REQUESTING CLRNC. CTLR ASSUMES THAT IF HE CANCELS ONE OF THE FLT PLANS, HE WOULD CAUSE THE ZTL CTLR'S DATA BLOCK TO DROP.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING ALL POS AT MGM (LCL CTL, GND CTL, AND CLRNC DELIVERY) TFC VERY LIGHT. ACFT CALLS CLRNC DELIVERY REQUESTING IFR CLRNC FROM MGM TO BHM. ACFT TOLD TO STANDBY AS I HAVE NO FLT PLAN INFO. I CHK THE COMPUTER, 3 FLT PLANS IN THE SYS -- ACTIVE, A PROPOSAL OFF MGM, A PROPOSAL OFF BHM. THIS IS A COMMON OCCURRENCE DUE TO A FIRST TURN AROUND. THE INBOUND FLT PLAN HASN'T HAD ENOUGH TIME TO DROP FROM THE SYS AND THE PROPOSED FLT PLAN TIME HAS TO BE AMENDED TO GENERATE A BEACON CODE. JUST BY LUCK, I ASKED ACFT HIS POS. HE WAS 40 MI SW OF MGM DSNDING OUT OF 11000 FT. ZTL'S AIRSPACE. IF I HAD REMOVED THE OLD FLT PLAN, THIS WOULD HAVE REMOVED ALL RADAR DATA INFO FROM ZTL WHILE ACFT WAS IN THEIR AIRSPACE. CORRECTIVE ACTION: PLTS SHOULD NOT REQUEST A CLRNC WHILE AIRBORNE OR AT LEAST ADVISE CTLR OF POS.

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.