Narrative:

On jul/xx/92, between the hours of XX00 and XX35, ZLC ARTCC sector 40 was given a requirement to provide salt lake approach with 20 mi longitudinal separation between aircraft landing in salt lake approach airspace. Slc approach jordan sector called ZLC sector 40 and told sector 40 to spin air carrier X for spacing. At the time of the call air carrier X was at a preapproved altitude of 16000 ft, direct slc and at least 6 mi behind the last jet approach control had taken from sector 40. Slc approach then told sector 40 that the delay for inbound aircraft was not because of spacing but because approach had gone to one runway and they were 'shooting' ILS approachs. Also at the time sector 40 was called by approach, air carrier X was 1 min from crossing the center/approach boundary. Air carrier X was in the south end of the scull valley airspace because he had been vectored to obtain the required spacing. At this same time air carrier X asked for a lower altitude because he was picking up ice. After sector 40 was shut off by approach, 5 aircraft were cleared to hold. At least 1 of these aircraft came to within a few mins of being fuel critical. The potential for an airspace deviation/violation cannot be denied and the potential for loss of separation was also very great as aircraft were turned into one another because approach would not take any inbounds. As per the ZLC ARTCC-slc approach LOA dated effective 4/xx/92, the slc approach coordinator is supposed to coordinate with ZLC ARTCC flow control if they are going to change the arrival rate, or if they are going to change any part of a preapproved flow plan. Slc approach failed to adhere to the LOA therefore creating an ominous control situation for sector 40. To summarize, slc approach only gave sector 40 1 min notice to hold all inbounds.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: NON COMPLIANCE WITH LOA COULD LEAD TO UNAUTHORIZED AIRSPACE PENETRATION. TRACON ARTCC INTRAFAC COORD.

Narrative: ON JUL/XX/92, BTWN THE HRS OF XX00 AND XX35, ZLC ARTCC SECTOR 40 WAS GIVEN A REQUIREMENT TO PROVIDE SALT LAKE APCH WITH 20 MI LONGITUDINAL SEPARATION BTWN ACFT LNDG IN SALT LAKE APCH AIRSPACE. SLC APCH JORDAN SECTOR CALLED ZLC SECTOR 40 AND TOLD SECTOR 40 TO SPIN ACR X FOR SPACING. AT THE TIME OF THE CALL ACR X WAS AT A PREAPPROVED ALT OF 16000 FT, DIRECT SLC AND AT LEAST 6 MI BEHIND THE LAST JET APCH CTL HAD TAKEN FROM SECTOR 40. SLC APCH THEN TOLD SECTOR 40 THAT THE DELAY FOR INBOUND ACFT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF SPACING BUT BECAUSE APCH HAD GONE TO ONE RWY AND THEY WERE 'SHOOTING' ILS APCHS. ALSO AT THE TIME SECTOR 40 WAS CALLED BY APCH, ACR X WAS 1 MIN FROM XING THE CTR/APCH BOUNDARY. ACR X WAS IN THE S END OF THE SCULL VALLEY AIRSPACE BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN VECTORED TO OBTAIN THE REQUIRED SPACING. AT THIS SAME TIME ACR X ASKED FOR A LOWER ALT BECAUSE HE WAS PICKING UP ICE. AFTER SECTOR 40 WAS SHUT OFF BY APCH, 5 ACFT WERE CLRED TO HOLD. AT LEAST 1 OF THESE ACFT CAME TO WITHIN A FEW MINS OF BEING FUEL CRITICAL. THE POTENTIAL FOR AN AIRSPACE DEV/VIOLATION CANNOT BE DENIED AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS ALSO VERY GREAT AS ACFT WERE TURNED INTO ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE APCH WOULD NOT TAKE ANY INBOUNDS. AS PER THE ZLC ARTCC-SLC APCH LOA DATED EFFECTIVE 4/XX/92, THE SLC APCH COORDINATOR IS SUPPOSED TO COORDINATE WITH ZLC ARTCC FLOW CTL IF THEY ARE GOING TO CHANGE THE ARR RATE, OR IF THEY ARE GOING TO CHANGE ANY PART OF A PREAPPROVED FLOW PLAN. SLC APCH FAILED TO ADHERE TO THE LOA THEREFORE CREATING AN OMINOUS CTL SITUATION FOR SECTOR 40. TO SUMMARIZE, SLC APCH ONLY GAVE SECTOR 40 1 MIN NOTICE TO HOLD ALL INBOUNDS.

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.