Narrative:

We were working south whiting (ndz) radar sector with numerous arrs and departures with 4-5 aircraft in the gca pattern. Reported ceiling was 2000 ft broken. We had been working aircraft X in the pattern for several mins. He had been assigned a VFR squawk by ndz tower and we assumed he was VFR. On climb out after an approach; ndz tower called us and said that aircraft X was IMC and had advised them that he was on an IFR flight plan. At this time; aircraft X was approximately 1 mi behind an IFR departure off ndz (both were at 1700 ft). We called aircraft X and advised him that we showed he was on a VFR flight plan and to maintain VFR. He argued that ndz had cleared him IFR. We told him to maintain VFR and initiated a vector away from the other aircraft. When we had IFR separation from all the other aircraft in our sector; we issued him an IFR code (MSAW processing) and cleared him IFR. We also asked him to call the TRACON when he got on the ground. After talking with the pilot by phone; he advised that ndz had cleared him IFR; however on the land line; ndz had advised the TRACON that the aircraft was VFR. We had also told him earlier while in the pattern to maintain VFR; and he did not question it. If he was cleared IFR; we were not aware of it; and we may have lost IFR separation with other aircraft in our airspace prior to this incident. The confusion over flight plans at ndz is not new -- aircraft often file multiple flight plans and/or request VFR practice approachs before picking up their IFR flight plan. In this case; the pilot told us on the phone that he had filed with base operations both a local IFR flight plan for approachs at ndz as well as another IFR flight plan to depart the area after he was done with the approachs. The pilot told us that ndz had issued him a squawk and cleared him (IFR) via a local; stored flight plan. Ndz did not activate this flight plan with us; in fact; they asked us on the land line if they could assign him a VFR squawk for practice approachs. We confirmed this by listening to the tape. I don't know if the problem is with ndz tower; base operations; or the pilot; but the bottom line is that they (and we) all need to be on the same page as to whether or not an aircraft is VFR or IFR.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: P31 CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN MIL DEP WAS LESS THAN REQUIRED IFR SEPARATION FROM PREVIOUS DEP; FAILED COORD AND PF CONFUSION BLAMED.

Narrative: WE WERE WORKING SOUTH WHITING (NDZ) RADAR SECTOR WITH NUMEROUS ARRS AND DEPS WITH 4-5 ACFT IN THE GCA PATTERN. RPTED CEILING WAS 2000 FT BROKEN. WE HAD BEEN WORKING ACFT X IN THE PATTERN FOR SEVERAL MINS. HE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED A VFR SQUAWK BY NDZ TWR AND WE ASSUMED HE WAS VFR. ON CLBOUT AFTER AN APCH; NDZ TWR CALLED US AND SAID THAT ACFT X WAS IMC AND HAD ADVISED THEM THAT HE WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN. AT THIS TIME; ACFT X WAS APPROX 1 MI BEHIND AN IFR DEP OFF NDZ (BOTH WERE AT 1700 FT). WE CALLED ACFT X AND ADVISED HIM THAT WE SHOWED HE WAS ON A VFR FLT PLAN AND TO MAINTAIN VFR. HE ARGUED THAT NDZ HAD CLRED HIM IFR. WE TOLD HIM TO MAINTAIN VFR AND INITIATED A VECTOR AWAY FROM THE OTHER ACFT. WHEN WE HAD IFR SEPARATION FROM ALL THE OTHER ACFT IN OUR SECTOR; WE ISSUED HIM AN IFR CODE (MSAW PROCESSING) AND CLRED HIM IFR. WE ALSO ASKED HIM TO CALL THE TRACON WHEN HE GOT ON THE GND. AFTER TALKING WITH THE PLT BY PHONE; HE ADVISED THAT NDZ HAD CLRED HIM IFR; HOWEVER ON THE LAND LINE; NDZ HAD ADVISED THE TRACON THAT THE ACFT WAS VFR. WE HAD ALSO TOLD HIM EARLIER WHILE IN THE PATTERN TO MAINTAIN VFR; AND HE DID NOT QUESTION IT. IF HE WAS CLRED IFR; WE WERE NOT AWARE OF IT; AND WE MAY HAVE LOST IFR SEPARATION WITH OTHER ACFT IN OUR AIRSPACE PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT. THE CONFUSION OVER FLT PLANS AT NDZ IS NOT NEW -- ACFT OFTEN FILE MULTIPLE FLT PLANS AND/OR REQUEST VFR PRACTICE APCHS BEFORE PICKING UP THEIR IFR FLT PLAN. IN THIS CASE; THE PLT TOLD US ON THE PHONE THAT HE HAD FILED WITH BASE OPS BOTH A LCL IFR FLT PLAN FOR APCHS AT NDZ AS WELL AS ANOTHER IFR FLT PLAN TO DEPART THE AREA AFTER HE WAS DONE WITH THE APCHS. THE PLT TOLD US THAT NDZ HAD ISSUED HIM A SQUAWK AND CLRED HIM (IFR) VIA A LCL; STORED FLT PLAN. NDZ DID NOT ACTIVATE THIS FLT PLAN WITH US; IN FACT; THEY ASKED US ON THE LAND LINE IF THEY COULD ASSIGN HIM A VFR SQUAWK FOR PRACTICE APCHS. WE CONFIRMED THIS BY LISTENING TO THE TAPE. I DON'T KNOW IF THE PROB IS WITH NDZ TWR; BASE OPS; OR THE PLT; BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT THEY (AND WE) ALL NEED TO BE ON THE SAME PAGE AS TO WHETHER OR NOT AN ACFT IS VFR OR 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.