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Bgr approach radar controller states he did not notice aircraft going into adjacent approach airspace after data tag dropped off.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 480783 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200008 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : aug.vortac |
| State Reference | ME |
| Altitude | msl single value : 4000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pwm.tracon tracon : bgr.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Caravan 1 208A |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 23 |
| ASRS Report | 480783 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Navigational Facility Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
A busy session on radar with a lot of traffic. Aircraft was allowed to enter adjacent approach control airspace without handoff or coordination. Aircraft X en route to pwm at 4000 ft. C208's have a problem with xponders dropping off our display. Aircraft dropped off radar and I did not notice it. Out of sight, out of mind. When target was reacquired, it was in pwm airspace. A manual handoff was made. (An automated would have occurred if the radar contact had been maintained). No excuse -- I should have seen it. A contributing factor is the handoff could not be done to portland until the target is very close to the border. I did not see the target drop off my scope. I believe the problem with C208 xponders should be corrected. Most all of my fellow controllers put the C208 in a handoff status to a maintenance scope because when an aircraft is in such a status, the target 'freezes' position on the scope and will not drop. All other aircraft on my scope were fine. I was just busy.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: BGR APCH RADAR CTLR STATES HE DID NOT NOTICE ACFT GOING INTO ADJACENT APCH AIRSPACE AFTER DATA TAG DROPPED OFF.
Narrative: A BUSY SESSION ON RADAR WITH A LOT OF TFC. ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO ENTER ADJACENT APCH CTL AIRSPACE WITHOUT HDOF OR COORD. ACFT X ENRTE TO PWM AT 4000 FT. C208'S HAVE A PROB WITH XPONDERS DROPPING OFF OUR DISPLAY. ACFT DROPPED OFF RADAR AND I DID NOT NOTICE IT. OUT OF SIGHT, OUT OF MIND. WHEN TARGET WAS REACQUIRED, IT WAS IN PWM AIRSPACE. A MANUAL HDOF WAS MADE. (AN AUTOMATED WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF THE RADAR CONTACT HAD BEEN MAINTAINED). NO EXCUSE -- I SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE HDOF COULD NOT BE DONE TO PORTLAND UNTIL THE TARGET IS VERY CLOSE TO THE BORDER. I DID NOT SEE THE TARGET DROP OFF MY SCOPE. I BELIEVE THE PROB WITH C208 XPONDERS SHOULD BE CORRECTED. MOST ALL OF MY FELLOW CTLRS PUT THE C208 IN A HDOF STATUS TO A MAINT SCOPE BECAUSE WHEN AN ACFT IS IN SUCH A STATUS, THE TARGET 'FREEZES' POS ON THE SCOPE AND WILL NOT DROP. ALL OTHER ACFT ON MY SCOPE WERE FINE. I WAS JUST BUSY.
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.