Narrative:

Air carrier X was at FL330 on J209 eastbound in the vicinity of clt. Air carrier Y was at FL330 cae direct psk. These two routings cross approximately 60 NM north of cae VORTAC. The jacksonville atlanta center boundary is approximately 40 NM north of cae VORTAC. I was working the radar and manual positions (combined) at sector 31 atlanta center. I was in contact and working air carrier X when jax center initiated an automated handoff of air carrier Y to me. I noticed that the two aircraft were in conflict. Before accepting the handoff I called jax center R69 to descend air carrier Y to FL290. The call was delayed because I discovered R31 does not have a handoff line (voice line) to second 69 at jax center. I was unaware of this because of our new sector confign. The call was completed and R69 jax descended air carrier Y to fl 290. I accepted the handoff on Y and the track start began flashing fail. The data block then jumped to another target and the mode C readout went to XXX format (unreliable information). A few seconds later the conflict alert activated. I was not talking to air carrier Y yet so I called R69 jax again to get an altitude report. R69 did not respond to the call. I was running out of room so I hung up and turned air carrier X to a 360 degree heading. The controller working the sector next to me called R69 jax and asked for an altitude report on air carrier Y. R69 jax replied Y was out of FL322 and expediting his descent. R69 jax advised his computer did not indicate that I had accepted the handoff. The controller next to me called radar contact and Y was switched to my frequency. Separation was established at approximately 8 NM and air carrier X was cleared on course. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: long conversation which included rundown by reporter on equipment problems at ZTL. Also briefed analyst on effects of eecp at ZTL. There was no loss of separation in this incident because he turned air carrier X before latitude sep was lost. Since incident there has been a landline installed between ZTL R-31 and ZJX R-69. Three parallel airways J-14, J-208, and J-209 are destination exclusive and are all heavy traffic airways. J-209 is also parallel to ZJX area boundary and is only about 1.5 min flight time from boundary. Reporter states that there is problem with getting equipment problems recorded and made matter of the record in ZTL facility. Says supervisor was throwing away radar bullseye forms that he was turning in reference the maiden, north.C. Radar site quality of radar data. Also says he has submitted ucr forms and has received no replies for more than 45 days so far.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DELAY IN TRANSFER OF ATC JURISDICTION SET UP POTENTIAL LOSS OF SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO ACR.

Narrative: ACR X WAS AT FL330 ON J209 EBOUND IN THE VICINITY OF CLT. ACR Y WAS AT FL330 CAE DIRECT PSK. THESE TWO ROUTINGS CROSS APPROX 60 NM NORTH OF CAE VORTAC. THE JACKSONVILLE ATLANTA CENTER BOUNDARY IS APPROX 40 NM NORTH OF CAE VORTAC. I WAS WORKING THE RADAR AND MANUAL POSITIONS (COMBINED) AT SECTOR 31 ATLANTA CENTER. I WAS IN CONTACT AND WORKING ACR X WHEN JAX CENTER INITIATED AN AUTOMATED HANDOFF OF ACR Y TO ME. I NOTICED THAT THE TWO ACFT WERE IN CONFLICT. BEFORE ACCEPTING THE HANDOFF I CALLED JAX CENTER R69 TO DESCEND ACR Y TO FL290. THE CALL WAS DELAYED BECAUSE I DISCOVERED R31 DOES NOT HAVE A HANDOFF LINE (VOICE LINE) TO SEC 69 AT JAX CENTER. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS BECAUSE OF OUR NEW SECTOR CONFIGN. THE CALL WAS COMPLETED AND R69 JAX DESCENDED ACR Y TO FL 290. I ACCEPTED THE HANDOFF ON Y AND THE TRACK START BEGAN FLASHING FAIL. THE DATA BLOCK THEN JUMPED TO ANOTHER TARGET AND THE MODE C READOUT WENT TO XXX FORMAT (UNRELIABLE INFORMATION). A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. I WAS NOT TALKING TO ACR Y YET SO I CALLED R69 JAX AGAIN TO GET AN ALTITUDE REPORT. R69 DID NOT RESPOND TO THE CALL. I WAS RUNNING OUT OF ROOM SO I HUNG UP AND TURNED ACR X TO A 360 DEG HEADING. THE CTLR WORKING THE SECTOR NEXT TO ME CALLED R69 JAX AND ASKED FOR AN ALTITUDE REPORT ON ACR Y. R69 JAX REPLIED Y WAS OUT OF FL322 AND EXPEDITING HIS DESCENT. R69 JAX ADVISED HIS COMPUTER DID NOT INDICATE THAT I HAD ACCEPTED THE HANDOFF. THE CTLR NEXT TO ME CALLED RADAR CONTACT AND Y WAS SWITCHED TO MY FREQUENCY. SEPARATION WAS ESTABLISHED AT APPROX 8 NM AND ACR X WAS CLRED ON COURSE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: LONG CONVERSATION WHICH INCLUDED RUNDOWN BY RPTR ON EQUIP PROBLEMS AT ZTL. ALSO BRIEFED ANALYST ON EFFECTS OF EECP AT ZTL. THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION IN THIS INCIDENT BECAUSE HE TURNED ACR X BEFORE LAT SEP WAS LOST. SINCE INCIDENT THERE HAS BEEN A LANDLINE INSTALLED BETWEEN ZTL R-31 AND ZJX R-69. THREE PARALLEL AIRWAYS J-14, J-208, AND J-209 ARE DEST EXCLUSIVE AND ARE ALL HEAVY TFC AIRWAYS. J-209 IS ALSO PARALLEL TO ZJX AREA BOUNDARY AND IS ONLY ABOUT 1.5 MIN FLT TIME FROM BOUNDARY. RPTR STATES THAT THERE IS PROBLEM WITH GETTING EQUIP PROBLEMS RECORDED AND MADE MATTER OF THE RECORD IN ZTL FAC. SAYS SUPVR WAS THROWING AWAY RADAR BULLSEYE FORMS THAT HE WAS TURNING IN REF THE MAIDEN, N.C. RADAR SITE QUALITY OF RADAR DATA. ALSO SAYS HE HAS SUBMITTED UCR FORMS AND HAS RECEIVED NO REPLIES FOR MORE THAN 45 DAYS SO FAR.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.