Narrative:

During the busiest bank of the day, there was variable WX conditions from snow showers to clear VFR moving across the airspace. I was holding a C421 over the tch VOR which put him over the airport at FL210. This kept him out of everyone else's airspace while they were extremely busy. An arrival sector coordinated a 'pointout' for a west arrival to follow a heavy on the downwind. I approved the pointout. I did not observe the aircraft crossing into my airspace. Typically, this kind of pointout is for an aircraft that is riding close to the airspace line. A wbound departure departed slc. I told him radar contact and assigned an altitude below the full downwind. Then my relief plugged in. I briefed him about the WX and the departure and extensively about the holding C421. Since I did not see the pointed out aircraft at that time or earlier, I did not include it in the relief briefing. The new controller stated he had no questions and assumed the responsibility for the position. As the departure crossed under the downwind, I told him 'you can climb the departure,' which he did. I unplugged and turned away. He called me back asking what this other (the pointout) aircraft was doing. He stopped the climb and got visual separation, but standard separation had already been lost. I, first of all, should not have approved such a 'wide open' pointout. I should have worked an aircraft that would be crossing the middle of my airspace. I should have made a reminder note for the pointout and put it in front of me. Also, if I would have stayed plugged in on the position a little longer, I may have been able to catch the situation before the loss of separation.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S56 APCH CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WHEN HE DID NOT OBSERVE A POINTOUT ON TFC ENTERING HIS AIRSPACE AND THEN FAILED TO BRIEF HIS RELIEF OF THE CONFLICTING TFC.

Narrative: DURING THE BUSIEST BANK OF THE DAY, THERE WAS VARIABLE WX CONDITIONS FROM SNOW SHOWERS TO CLR VFR MOVING ACROSS THE AIRSPACE. I WAS HOLDING A C421 OVER THE TCH VOR WHICH PUT HIM OVER THE ARPT AT FL210. THIS KEPT HIM OUT OF EVERYONE ELSE'S AIRSPACE WHILE THEY WERE EXTREMELY BUSY. AN ARR SECTOR COORDINATED A 'POINTOUT' FOR A W ARR TO FOLLOW A HVY ON THE DOWNWIND. I APPROVED THE POINTOUT. I DID NOT OBSERVE THE ACFT XING INTO MY AIRSPACE. TYPICALLY, THIS KIND OF POINTOUT IS FOR AN ACFT THAT IS RIDING CLOSE TO THE AIRSPACE LINE. A WBOUND DEP DEPARTED SLC. I TOLD HIM RADAR CONTACT AND ASSIGNED AN ALT BELOW THE FULL DOWNWIND. THEN MY RELIEF PLUGGED IN. I BRIEFED HIM ABOUT THE WX AND THE DEP AND EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE HOLDING C421. SINCE I DID NOT SEE THE POINTED OUT ACFT AT THAT TIME OR EARLIER, I DID NOT INCLUDE IT IN THE RELIEF BRIEFING. THE NEW CTLR STATED HE HAD NO QUESTIONS AND ASSUMED THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POS. AS THE DEP CROSSED UNDER THE DOWNWIND, I TOLD HIM 'YOU CAN CLB THE DEP,' WHICH HE DID. I UNPLUGGED AND TURNED AWAY. HE CALLED ME BACK ASKING WHAT THIS OTHER (THE POINTOUT) ACFT WAS DOING. HE STOPPED THE CLB AND GOT VISUAL SEPARATION, BUT STANDARD SEPARATION HAD ALREADY BEEN LOST. I, FIRST OF ALL, SHOULD NOT HAVE APPROVED SUCH A 'WIDE OPEN' POINTOUT. I SHOULD HAVE WORKED AN ACFT THAT WOULD BE XING THE MIDDLE OF MY AIRSPACE. I SHOULD HAVE MADE A REMINDER NOTE FOR THE POINTOUT AND PUT IT IN FRONT OF ME. ALSO, IF I WOULD HAVE STAYED PLUGGED IN ON THE POS A LITTLE LONGER, I MAY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CATCH THE SIT BEFORE THE LOSS OF SEPARATION.

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.