Narrative:

2 aircraft inbound from southeast; first one descending to 10000 ft; second descending to 12000 ft. First aircraft needed to get lower to go to a satellite airport (eye). I used the STAR 2 equipment to hand off the first aircraft to east departure position; I was working feeder position. 2 weeks ago FAA installed a program that makes aircraft that you hand off within the facility change to green color. Aircraft data blocks you're working stay white. Basically when you're working radar; all data blocks are green except the ones you're working; or the ones you have handed off to other facilities. It creates a sense of if they're green I don't worry about them; they are not mine. When I asked east departure for lower on the first aircraft; they gave me lower. I looked at where the 2 airplane data blocks were and issued lower to the second aircraft. Second aircraft was white; first aircraft had gone to green because I handed him off. I noticed this when I looked at the replay of the incident. Had the first aircraft stayed white; I do not believe this error would have occurred. Many controllers complain about the color change because once they change color you tend to ignore them. They should only change colors when the controller chooses to change the color. Some facilities do not install this option for that very reason.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IND CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 10000 FT WHEN CLRING ACFT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT CITING STARS COLOR DATA AS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: 2 ACFT INBOUND FROM SE; FIRST ONE DSNDING TO 10000 FT; SECOND DSNDING TO 12000 FT. FIRST ACFT NEEDED TO GET LOWER TO GO TO A SATELLITE ARPT (EYE). I USED THE STAR 2 EQUIP TO HAND OFF THE FIRST ACFT TO E DEP POS; I WAS WORKING FEEDER POS. 2 WKS AGO FAA INSTALLED A PROGRAM THAT MAKES ACFT THAT YOU HAND OFF WITHIN THE FACILITY CHANGE TO GREEN COLOR. ACFT DATA BLOCKS YOU'RE WORKING STAY WHITE. BASICALLY WHEN YOU'RE WORKING RADAR; ALL DATA BLOCKS ARE GREEN EXCEPT THE ONES YOU'RE WORKING; OR THE ONES YOU HAVE HANDED OFF TO OTHER FACILITIES. IT CREATES A SENSE OF IF THEY'RE GREEN I DON'T WORRY ABOUT THEM; THEY ARE NOT MINE. WHEN I ASKED E DEP FOR LOWER ON THE FIRST ACFT; THEY GAVE ME LOWER. I LOOKED AT WHERE THE 2 AIRPLANE DATA BLOCKS WERE AND ISSUED LOWER TO THE SECOND ACFT. SECOND ACFT WAS WHITE; FIRST ACFT HAD GONE TO GREEN BECAUSE I HANDED HIM OFF. I NOTICED THIS WHEN I LOOKED AT THE REPLAY OF THE INCIDENT. HAD THE FIRST ACFT STAYED WHITE; I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS ERROR WOULD HAVE OCCURRED. MANY CTLRS COMPLAIN ABOUT THE COLOR CHANGE BECAUSE ONCE THEY CHANGE COLOR YOU TEND TO IGNORE THEM. THEY SHOULD ONLY CHANGE COLORS WHEN THE CTLR CHOOSES TO CHANGE THE COLOR. SOME FACILITIES DO NOT INSTALL THIS OPTION FOR THAT VERY REASON.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.