IFR aircraft are assigned the same beacon code due to a lack of ARTCC interface.

Attributes
ACN	253821
Time
Date	199310
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival other enroute airway : roc
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	253821
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

Rochester airspace is bounded by ZBW to the east. We are under the ZOB computer. At least a dozen times a day, aircraft will come over from syracuse approach on a different strip code than the code assigned by our computer, ZOB. Today, air carrier X departed syr landing roc tagged up as air carrier X and air carrier Y. Air carrier Y was an inbound from ord that crossed buf VOR XX00Z. (XX00 local). Air carrier X was assigned an efgh code by ZBW computer and air carrier Y the same code by ZOB computer. ZOB computer had a code of abcd assigned to the air carrier X flight plan. There needs to be a way for the center computers to interface to resolve this problem! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: facility advised that IFR aircraft from syr tower en route are at 10000 ft and below. Traffic above is worked by the center and the same beacon code problem does not exist, only when the aircraft are worked tower en route. The data tag shows a callsign, ground speed, but no altitude. The callsign appears as 2 idents. The facility has not had any conflicts because of this problem. There are no plans underway to rectify this problem.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR ACFT ARE ASSIGNED THE SAME BEACON CODE DUE TO A LACK OF ARTCC INTERFACE.

Narrative: ROCHESTER AIRSPACE IS BOUNDED BY ZBW TO THE E. WE ARE UNDER THE ZOB COMPUTER. AT LEAST A DOZEN TIMES A DAY, ACFT WILL COME OVER FROM SYRACUSE APCH ON A DIFFERENT STRIP CODE THAN THE CODE ASSIGNED BY OUR COMPUTER, ZOB. TODAY, ACR X DEPARTED SYR LNDG ROC TAGGED UP AS ACR X AND ACR Y. ACR Y WAS AN INBOUND FROM ORD THAT CROSSED BUF VOR XX00Z. (XX00 LCL). ACR X WAS ASSIGNED AN EFGH CODE BY ZBW COMPUTER AND ACR Y THE SAME CODE BY ZOB COMPUTER. ZOB COMPUTER HAD A CODE OF ABCD ASSIGNED TO THE ACR X FLT PLAN. THERE NEEDS TO BE A WAY FOR THE CTR COMPUTERS TO INTERFACE TO RESOLVE THIS PROB! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: FACILITY ADVISED THAT IFR ACFT FROM SYR TWR ENRTE ARE AT 10000 FT AND BELOW. TFC ABOVE IS WORKED BY THE CTR AND THE SAME BEACON CODE PROB DOES NOT EXIST, ONLY WHEN THE ACFT ARE WORKED TWR ENRTE. THE DATA TAG SHOWS A CALLSIGN, GND SPD, BUT NO ALT. THE CALLSIGN APPEARS AS 2 IDENTS. THE FACILITY HAS NOT HAD ANY CONFLICTS BECAUSE OF THIS PROB. THERE ARE NO PLANS UNDERWAY TO RECTIFY THIS PROB.

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.