Sectors were incorrectly decombined in the computer causing misdirected handoffs.

Attributes
ACN	122143
Time
Date	198909
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zla
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20
ASRS Report	122143
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

This morning when we were reactivating sectors that had been combined up for the mid-shift with other sectors, one sector was mislocated. At XX33 we called the flight data position and requested he open sector 37. He opened sector 37 as requested but also combined sector 19 at sector 37. Luckily sector 19 was actually combined with and being worked by sector 20, so no incidents occurred. The problem became apparent at XX15 when I noticed that small aircraft X at 9000' was handed off to me from ontario approach control. Sector 37 (that's me) works only FL240 and above traffic. It took a minute or two until I realized ontario had made a handoff to sector 19 and the computer had routed that handoff to me as it showed sector 19 combined at sector 37. This is only one of many incidents of this sort in the past month. Prior to that the combining and decombining of sectors was the responsibility of the area mgrs, but about a month ago the responsibility was given over to the flight data specialist. These specialists have never been air traffic controllers, or computer operators.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SECTORS WERE INCORRECTLY DECOMBINED IN THE COMPUTER CAUSING MISDIRECTED HANDOFFS.

Narrative: THIS MORNING WHEN WE WERE REACTIVATING SECTORS THAT HAD BEEN COMBINED UP FOR THE MID-SHIFT WITH OTHER SECTORS, ONE SECTOR WAS MISLOCATED. AT XX33 WE CALLED THE FLT DATA POSITION AND REQUESTED HE OPEN SECTOR 37. HE OPENED SECTOR 37 AS REQUESTED BUT ALSO COMBINED SECTOR 19 AT SECTOR 37. LUCKILY SECTOR 19 WAS ACTUALLY COMBINED WITH AND BEING WORKED BY SECTOR 20, SO NO INCIDENTS OCCURRED. THE PROBLEM BECAME APPARENT AT XX15 WHEN I NOTICED THAT SMA X AT 9000' WAS HANDED OFF TO ME FROM ONTARIO APCH CTL. SECTOR 37 (THAT'S ME) WORKS ONLY FL240 AND ABOVE TFC. IT TOOK A MINUTE OR TWO UNTIL I REALIZED ONTARIO HAD MADE A HANDOFF TO SECTOR 19 AND THE COMPUTER HAD ROUTED THAT HANDOFF TO ME AS IT SHOWED SECTOR 19 COMBINED AT SECTOR 37. THIS IS ONLY ONE OF MANY INCIDENTS OF THIS SORT IN THE PAST MONTH. PRIOR TO THAT THE COMBINING AND DECOMBINING OF SECTORS WAS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE AREA MGRS, BUT ABOUT A MONTH AGO THE RESPONSIBILITY WAS GIVEN OVER TO THE FLT DATA SPECIALIST. THESE SPECIALISTS HAVE NEVER BEEN AIR TFC CTLRS, OR COMPUTER OPERATORS.

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.