While decombining position at phl TRACON, controllers overlook a citation jet airborne for 20 mi.

Attributes
ACN	548234
Time
Date	200205
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : ttn.airport
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl single value : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl.tracon tracon : n90.tracon
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation Excel
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13 controller time certified in position1 : 0.5
ASRS Report	548234
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry airspace violation : exit non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other controllerb
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Aircraft was released from ttn, runway 24, runway heading. Traffic moderate, position being decombined. Target did not acquire. Flight progress strip lost while decombining position. Aircraft flew 20 mi through class B airspace at 5000 ft and was never idented. Aircraft was directly over phl when pilot inquired about a higher altitude. I was only able to radar identify the aircraft after it had passed through the main bang of the phl ASR. No transponder was observed prior to this and the aircraft had already exited my area of jurisdiction. I feel that better radar coverage is needed in the area of trenton, nj. Currently radar coverage does not exist below 3000 ft in the vicinity of ttn airport and east to the phl/N90 boundary. Also, better equipment at phl TRACON is necessary. I am hopeful that stars, being developed by xyz corporation and due to be operational at phl in nov/02, will be successful in preventing a situation like this from occurring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: WHILE DECOMBINING POS AT PHL TRACON, CTLRS OVERLOOK A CITATION JET AIRBORNE FOR 20 MI.

Narrative: ACFT WAS RELEASED FROM TTN, RWY 24, RWY HDG. TFC MODERATE, POS BEING DECOMBINED. TARGET DID NOT ACQUIRE. FLT PROGRESS STRIP LOST WHILE DECOMBINING POS. ACFT FLEW 20 MI THROUGH CLASS B AIRSPACE AT 5000 FT AND WAS NEVER IDENTED. ACFT WAS DIRECTLY OVER PHL WHEN PLT INQUIRED ABOUT A HIGHER ALT. I WAS ONLY ABLE TO RADAR IDENT THE ACFT AFTER IT HAD PASSED THROUGH THE MAIN BANG OF THE PHL ASR. NO XPONDER WAS OBSERVED PRIOR TO THIS AND THE ACFT HAD ALREADY EXITED MY AREA OF JURISDICTION. I FEEL THAT BETTER RADAR COVERAGE IS NEEDED IN THE AREA OF TRENTON, NJ. CURRENTLY RADAR COVERAGE DOES NOT EXIST BELOW 3000 FT IN THE VICINITY OF TTN ARPT AND E TO THE PHL/N90 BOUNDARY. ALSO, BETTER EQUIP AT PHL TRACON IS NECESSARY. I AM HOPEFUL THAT STARS, BEING DEVELOPED BY XYZ CORPORATION AND DUE TO BE OPERATIONAL AT PHL IN NOV/02, WILL BE SUCCESSFUL IN PREVENTING A SIT LIKE THIS FROM OCCURRING.

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.