Narrative:

R3401A was hot at 10000 ft (nonstandard activity -- R3401 is never hot at that time of night). The E110 was on an IFR flight plan yip, VFR at 4000 ft. ZID advised R3401 was hot at or below 10000 ft. The aircraft penetrated R3401A. The facts are not in dispute. I, as the controller, agree it happened. Although I checked all pertinent status information areas before taking the position, I ignored the data in the status information area indicating R3401A would be hot because: 1) R3401A is never hot at that time of night -- if hot on evenings, only at low altitudes. 2) messages distributed by ARTCC's have become increasingly encryptic in their meanings. Instead of sticking with standard data (ie, a hot 240 until XA00 then cold until XM00), messages during the past 3 months have been (A-240 then cold until further advised). Hard to understand, requiring time consuming phone calls to people whose attitudes show during the call (ie, 'what a stupid question!'). Additionally, ZID indicated they were trying to call before the aircraft entered the range. ZID did not call. If they meant that the range officer in R3401A was trying to call, this is possible. However, the FAA has removed the direct line to ZID. In my opinion, this may have been a factor in the error.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR AT ZID ALLOWED AN E110 ACFT TO ENTER A RESTR AREA THAT WAS IN HOT STATUS.

Narrative: R3401A WAS HOT AT 10000 FT (NONSTANDARD ACTIVITY -- R3401 IS NEVER HOT AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT). THE E110 WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN YIP, VFR AT 4000 FT. ZID ADVISED R3401 WAS HOT AT OR BELOW 10000 FT. THE ACFT PENETRATED R3401A. THE FACTS ARE NOT IN DISPUTE. I, AS THE CTLR, AGREE IT HAPPENED. ALTHOUGH I CHKED ALL PERTINENT STATUS INFO AREAS BEFORE TAKING THE POS, I IGNORED THE DATA IN THE STATUS INFO AREA INDICATING R3401A WOULD BE HOT BECAUSE: 1) R3401A IS NEVER HOT AT THAT TIME OF NIGHT -- IF HOT ON EVENINGS, ONLY AT LOW ALTS. 2) MESSAGES DISTRIBUTED BY ARTCC'S HAVE BECOME INCREASINGLY ENCRYPTIC IN THEIR MEANINGS. INSTEAD OF STICKING WITH STANDARD DATA (IE, A HOT 240 UNTIL XA00 THEN COLD UNTIL XM00), MESSAGES DURING THE PAST 3 MONTHS HAVE BEEN (A-240 THEN COLD UNTIL FURTHER ADVISED). HARD TO UNDERSTAND, REQUIRING TIME CONSUMING PHONE CALLS TO PEOPLE WHOSE ATTITUDES SHOW DURING THE CALL (IE, 'WHAT A STUPID QUESTION!'). ADDITIONALLY, ZID INDICATED THEY WERE TRYING TO CALL BEFORE THE ACFT ENTERED THE RANGE. ZID DID NOT CALL. IF THEY MEANT THAT THE RANGE OFFICER IN R3401A WAS TRYING TO CALL, THIS IS POSSIBLE. HOWEVER, THE FAA HAS REMOVED THE DIRECT LINE TO ZID. IN MY OPINION, THIS MAY HAVE BEEN A FACTOR IN THE ERROR.

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.