Narrative:

FSS at rdu called for a clearance on a C172; off of rwi. I was by myself at the sector and busy; so I said I would call them back. Five minutes later; I called them back. The phone rang about 7 times before they picked up. I told the FSS person that I have a clearance for aircraft #1. She said; 'I don't know what you're talking about.' I said; 'you called for a clearance and I was busy. I'm ready to issue the clearance now.' she said; 'okay; go ahead.' I gave the clearance but 5 minutes later; she called back and said she couldn't locate the pilot or the FSS person who originally took his call. I voided the clearance and advised her to call back when ready. About 5 minutes later; FSS calls for a clearance on aircraft #2; a learjet. I gave the clearance with a void time. The FSS person (different one) says; 'what about aircraft #1? Is he already airborne?' I said that that clearance had been voided. He said; 'no; he got it and should be rolling.' I said; 'that's funny because I cancelled the clearance when you guys couldn't locate him.' long story short: original departure request came from rdu FSS. When I called back and it rang 7 times; the call got forwarded to leesburg; va; FSS. However; when I initially gave the clearance to leesburg; the guy from rdu picked up the line and thought I was talking to him. The two FSS cannot hear each other on the line. It had sounded garbled on my end. Had that aircraft #2 (learjet) departed; he would have taken off right behind the C172. It was IFR and at night; this was an accident waiting to happen! FSS needs to stop call-forwarding their calls to the other FSS's. They also need to clearly identify who they are (raleigh FSS; leesburg FSS; etc). This scenario happened again last week to another controller. This is very much a critical safety issue!callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter indicated that the ring landline in question does not allow multiple users to hear one another; a factor that contributed to this incident. The controller also indicated that very limited briefings were provided to the workforce regarding landline functionalities when contractor took over the FSS function.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC RADAR CTLR DESCRIBED INCIDENT WHEN FSS COORD ERRORS RESULTED IN TWO ACFT RECEIVING SIMULTANEOUS IFR RELEASES FROM RWI.

Narrative: FSS AT RDU CALLED FOR A CLRNC ON A C172; OFF OF RWI. I WAS BY MYSELF AT THE SECTOR AND BUSY; SO I SAID I WOULD CALL THEM BACK. FIVE MINUTES LATER; I CALLED THEM BACK. THE PHONE RANG ABOUT 7 TIMES BEFORE THEY PICKED UP. I TOLD THE FSS PERSON THAT I HAVE A CLRNC FOR ACFT #1. SHE SAID; 'I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.' I SAID; 'YOU CALLED FOR A CLRNC AND I WAS BUSY. I'M READY TO ISSUE THE CLRNC NOW.' SHE SAID; 'OKAY; GO AHEAD.' I GAVE THE CLRNC BUT 5 MINUTES LATER; SHE CALLED BACK AND SAID SHE COULDN'T LOCATE THE PLT OR THE FSS PERSON WHO ORIGINALLY TOOK HIS CALL. I VOIDED THE CLRNC AND ADVISED HER TO CALL BACK WHEN READY. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER; FSS CALLS FOR A CLRNC ON ACFT #2; A LEARJET. I GAVE THE CLRNC WITH A VOID TIME. THE FSS PERSON (DIFFERENT ONE) SAYS; 'WHAT ABOUT ACFT #1? IS HE ALREADY AIRBORNE?' I SAID THAT THAT CLRNC HAD BEEN VOIDED. HE SAID; 'NO; HE GOT IT AND SHOULD BE ROLLING.' I SAID; 'THAT'S FUNNY BECAUSE I CANCELLED THE CLRNC WHEN YOU GUYS COULDN'T LOCATE HIM.' LONG STORY SHORT: ORIGINAL DEP REQUEST CAME FROM RDU FSS. WHEN I CALLED BACK AND IT RANG 7 TIMES; THE CALL GOT FORWARDED TO LEESBURG; VA; FSS. HOWEVER; WHEN I INITIALLY GAVE THE CLRNC TO LEESBURG; THE GUY FROM RDU PICKED UP THE LINE AND THOUGHT I WAS TALKING TO HIM. THE TWO FSS CANNOT HEAR EACH OTHER ON THE LINE. IT HAD SOUNDED GARBLED ON MY END. HAD THAT ACFT #2 (LEARJET) DEPARTED; HE WOULD HAVE TAKEN OFF RIGHT BEHIND THE C172. IT WAS IFR AND AT NIGHT; THIS WAS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN! FSS NEEDS TO STOP CALL-FORWARDING THEIR CALLS TO THE OTHER FSS'S. THEY ALSO NEED TO CLEARLY IDENTIFY WHO THEY ARE (RALEIGH FSS; LEESBURG FSS; ETC). THIS SCENARIO HAPPENED AGAIN LAST WEEK TO ANOTHER CTLR. THIS IS VERY MUCH A CRITICAL SAFETY ISSUE!CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE REPORTER INDICATED THAT THE RING LANDLINE IN QUESTION DOES NOT ALLOW MULTIPLE USERS TO HEAR ONE ANOTHER; A FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS INCIDENT. THE CONTROLLER ALSO INDICATED THAT VERY LIMITED BRIEFINGS WERE PROVIDED TO THE WORKFORCE REGARDING LANDLINE FUNCTIONALITIES WHEN CONTRACTOR TOOK OVER THE FSS FUNCTION.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.