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ZOA controller experienced operational deviation when automation directed handoff to wrong sector; was mistakenly taken by trainee resulting in an operational deviation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 733406 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sgd.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 20000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 6 controller radar : 14 |
| ASRS Report | 733406 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Deviation |
Narrative:
Aircraft climbing out of the bay area northbound. Approach initiated a handoff to center utilizing the 'C' function for an automatic-direct to the appropriate sector. The handoff was misdirected to sector 32 where a radar associate was training. The trainee took the handoff even though the aircraft was not near his vertical stratum. The aircraft was also clear of and moving away from his lateral boundary. The sector that should have had the handoff did not know about the aircraft until it reported on frequency in the climb. The aircraft was at that point entering the vertical and lateral confines of sector 41 without a handoff. It was fortunate that there existed no conflicts at the time. The software for automatic-directing the handoff is in need of work. The trainee/instructor should not have taken the handoff initially having checked the route of flight. Another option would be for the trainee to coordination with the appropriate sector to ensure separation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZOA CTLR EXPERIENCED OPDEV WHEN AUTOMATION DIRECTED HDOF TO WRONG SECTOR; WAS MISTAKENLY TAKEN BY TRAINEE RESULTING IN AN OPDEV.
Narrative: ACFT CLBING OUT OF THE BAY AREA NBOUND. APCH INITIATED A HDOF TO CTR UTILIZING THE 'C' FUNCTION FOR AN AUTO-DIRECT TO THE APPROPRIATE SECTOR. THE HDOF WAS MISDIRECTED TO SECTOR 32 WHERE A RADAR ASSOCIATE WAS TRAINING. THE TRAINEE TOOK THE HDOF EVEN THOUGH THE ACFT WAS NOT NEAR HIS VERT STRATUM. THE ACFT WAS ALSO CLR OF AND MOVING AWAY FROM HIS LATERAL BOUNDARY. THE SECTOR THAT SHOULD HAVE HAD THE HDOF DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ACFT UNTIL IT RPTED ON FREQ IN THE CLB. THE ACFT WAS AT THAT POINT ENTERING THE VERT AND LATERAL CONFINES OF SECTOR 41 WITHOUT A HDOF. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THERE EXISTED NO CONFLICTS AT THE TIME. THE SOFTWARE FOR AUTO-DIRECTING THE HDOF IS IN NEED OF WORK. THE TRAINEE/INSTRUCTOR SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN THE HDOF INITIALLY HAVING CHKED THE RTE OF FLT. ANOTHER OPTION WOULD BE FOR THE TRAINEE TO COORD WITH THE APPROPRIATE SECTOR TO ENSURE SEPARATION.
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.