Approach controller inadvertently descended an arrival aircraft into the departure controller's airs...

Attributes
ACN	169826
Time
Date	199102
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : clt
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	169826
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I was working all of the arrival functions at clt combined during light traffic. I inadvertently descended large transport, a chesterfield arrival to 8000' and instructed the aircraft to fly heading 360 degree 10 DME from clt. This was 1000' below the confines of my airspace. I first observed the altitude deviation at approximately 6-7 mi southeast of clt. (The large transport was observed descending through 8500'). I immediately attempted to notify departure radar east of the aircraft and dre was already issuing traffic. I immediately issued traffic for large transport and he said he had the departure in sight. At this point, the aircraft were approximately 3 1/2 mi apart. I instructed large transport to maintain visual separation with the other aircraft with which the pilot acknowledged and complied. I believe that this situation occurred because of the inconsistent altitudes and airspace for clt arrs. During a north flow at clt, I would have been in my airspace, but not during a south flow. Additionally, the facility had been in a north flow for many weeks prior and this was my first time to work the south flow after 3 days off.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR INADVERTENTLY DESCENDED AN ARR ACFT INTO THE DEP CTLR'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT PRIOR COORD. POTENTIAL CONFLICT RESOLVED BY USE OF VISUAL SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ALL OF THE ARR FUNCTIONS AT CLT COMBINED DURING LIGHT TFC. I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED LGT, A CHESTERFIELD ARR TO 8000' AND INSTRUCTED THE ACFT TO FLY HDG 360 DEG 10 DME FROM CLT. THIS WAS 1000' BELOW THE CONFINES OF MY AIRSPACE. I FIRST OBSERVED THE ALTDEV AT APPROX 6-7 MI SE OF CLT. (THE LGT WAS OBSERVED DSNDING THROUGH 8500'). I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO NOTIFY DEP RADAR E OF THE ACFT AND DRE WAS ALREADY ISSUING TFC. I IMMEDIATELY ISSUED TFC FOR LGT AND HE SAID HE HAD THE DEP IN SIGHT. AT THIS POINT, THE ACFT WERE APPROX 3 1/2 MI APART. I INSTRUCTED LGT TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION WITH THE OTHER ACFT WITH WHICH THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED AND COMPLIED. I BELIEVE THAT THIS SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE INCONSISTENT ALTS AND AIRSPACE FOR CLT ARRS. DURING A N FLOW AT CLT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN MY AIRSPACE, BUT NOT DURING A S FLOW. ADDITIONALLY, THE FACILITY HAD BEEN IN A N FLOW FOR MANY WKS PRIOR AND THIS WAS MY FIRST TIME TO WORK THE S FLOW AFTER 3 DAYS OFF.

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

Approach controller inadvertently descended an arrival aircraft into the departure controller's airspace without prior coordination. Potential conflict resolved by use of visual separation.