Narrative:

S56 utilizes stars; therefore; 03-- and 01-- codes automatically inhibit the MSAW alarm. This inhibition of the MSAW is represented by an asterisk next to the call sign; ie; nxxxx. Stars features various fields that are time shared. Next to the airspeed is 1 of 3 letters that indicate the type of flight. A=IFR arrival into slc; V=VFR arrival into slc; east=overflt. BE99; an IFR aircraft was an automatic handoff from ZLC. The altitude was 12000 ft; the call sign had an asterisk. My assumption when I took the handoff was that the aircraft was VFR because I was trained that an asterisk means VFR. I was not trained on the a and V indicators accurately. I gave a VFR clearance into bravo airspace; VFR altitude to maintain; and VFR routing using landmarks. The pilot read back the VFR instructions; even stating; 'maintain VFR at or above 8500 ft.' the aircraft thus penetrated a 9000 ft MVA in the descent while in my airspace which is acceptable when an aircraft is VFR and an 'at or above' altitude is issued. The aircraft flew 20 mi; was handed off to another sector; and then the pilot informed that controller that the aircraft was IFR. Contributing factors: 1) inadequate stars training. 2) equipment error in that it allowed a 01-- code to be automatically handed off by ZLC. An IFR aircraft should never have its MSAW inhibited but due to the code; the MSAW was inhibited and was unbeknownst to the center controller from whom I took the handoff because of different equipment used by the 2 facilities. 3) the pilot concurred and accepted the VFR instructions given and did not adhere to aim regulations and crash fire rescue equipment's that state prompt compliance and concerns should be raised in a timely fashion. The pilot severely deviated from regulations by not correcting VFR instructions and clrncs when the aircraft was in fact IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: S56 CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN CONFUSING DATA BLOCK INFO RESULTED IN DSCNT BELOW MVA BY IFR ACFT.

Narrative: S56 UTILIZES STARS; THEREFORE; 03-- AND 01-- CODES AUTOMATICALLY INHIBIT THE MSAW ALARM. THIS INHIBITION OF THE MSAW IS REPRESENTED BY AN ASTERISK NEXT TO THE CALL SIGN; IE; NXXXX. STARS FEATURES VARIOUS FIELDS THAT ARE TIME SHARED. NEXT TO THE AIRSPD IS 1 OF 3 LETTERS THAT INDICATE THE TYPE OF FLT. A=IFR ARR INTO SLC; V=VFR ARR INTO SLC; E=OVERFLT. BE99; AN IFR ACFT WAS AN AUTOMATIC HDOF FROM ZLC. THE ALT WAS 12000 FT; THE CALL SIGN HAD AN ASTERISK. MY ASSUMPTION WHEN I TOOK THE HDOF WAS THAT THE ACFT WAS VFR BECAUSE I WAS TRAINED THAT AN ASTERISK MEANS VFR. I WAS NOT TRAINED ON THE A AND V INDICATORS ACCURATELY. I GAVE A VFR CLRNC INTO BRAVO AIRSPACE; VFR ALT TO MAINTAIN; AND VFR ROUTING USING LANDMARKS. THE PLT READ BACK THE VFR INSTRUCTIONS; EVEN STATING; 'MAINTAIN VFR AT OR ABOVE 8500 FT.' THE ACFT THUS PENETRATED A 9000 FT MVA IN THE DSCNT WHILE IN MY AIRSPACE WHICH IS ACCEPTABLE WHEN AN ACFT IS VFR AND AN 'AT OR ABOVE' ALT IS ISSUED. THE ACFT FLEW 20 MI; WAS HANDED OFF TO ANOTHER SECTOR; AND THEN THE PLT INFORMED THAT CTLR THAT THE ACFT WAS IFR. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) INADEQUATE STARS TRAINING. 2) EQUIP ERROR IN THAT IT ALLOWED A 01-- CODE TO BE AUTOMATICALLY HANDED OFF BY ZLC. AN IFR ACFT SHOULD NEVER HAVE ITS MSAW INHIBITED BUT DUE TO THE CODE; THE MSAW WAS INHIBITED AND WAS UNBEKNOWNST TO THE CTR CTLR FROM WHOM I TOOK THE HDOF BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT EQUIP USED BY THE 2 FACILITIES. 3) THE PLT CONCURRED AND ACCEPTED THE VFR INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN AND DID NOT ADHERE TO AIM REGS AND CFR'S THAT STATE PROMPT COMPLIANCE AND CONCERNS SHOULD BE RAISED IN A TIMELY FASHION. THE PLT SEVERELY DEVIATED FROM REGS BY NOT CORRECTING VFR INSTRUCTIONS AND CLRNCS WHEN THE ACFT WAS IN FACT IFR.

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.