Narrative:

On 2/X/94 I witnessed a system deviation which took place between gsp and clt approach control facilities. A BE58 entered gsp airspace at 6000 ft IFR without a handoff or coordination from clt approach. There was no conflict with other traffic. The aircraft was an overflt from east to west through the gsp area. He contacted greer approach, on his own, over the spa VOR asking why he had not received a handoff. At the same time, the clt departure controller called on the landline asking if we had received a handoff. By this time the aircraft had been in gsp approach airspace for about 13 mi. The gsp controller quickly idented the aircraft and resumed IFR services. This deviation would not have taken place if the ARTS (automated radar tracking system) had not been down for scheduled maintenance. This scheduled maintenance used to be done late sunday evenings during much lighter traffic. Recently, due to budgetary concerns, the technicians stopped working nights and weekends and therefore had to change the scheduled downtime. Luckily, the pilot was aware clt had missed making the handoff and called greer approach before any conflict with other traffic took place.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: BE58 UNAUTH UNCOORD AIRSPACE PENETRATION OPDEV.

Narrative: ON 2/X/94 I WITNESSED A SYS DEV WHICH TOOK PLACE BTWN GSP AND CLT APCH CTL FACILITIES. A BE58 ENTERED GSP AIRSPACE AT 6000 FT IFR WITHOUT A HDOF OR COORD FROM CLT APCH. THERE WAS NO CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC. THE ACFT WAS AN OVERFLT FROM E TO W THROUGH THE GSP AREA. HE CONTACTED GREER APCH, ON HIS OWN, OVER THE SPA VOR ASKING WHY HE HAD NOT RECEIVED A HDOF. AT THE SAME TIME, THE CLT DEP CTLR CALLED ON THE LANDLINE ASKING IF WE HAD RECEIVED A HDOF. BY THIS TIME THE ACFT HAD BEEN IN GSP APCH AIRSPACE FOR ABOUT 13 MI. THE GSP CTLR QUICKLY IDENTED THE ACFT AND RESUMED IFR SERVICES. THIS DEV WOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN PLACE IF THE ARTS (AUTOMATED RADAR TRACKING SYS) HAD NOT BEEN DOWN FOR SCHEDULED MAINT. THIS SCHEDULED MAINT USED TO BE DONE LATE SUNDAY EVENINGS DURING MUCH LIGHTER TFC. RECENTLY, DUE TO BUDGETARY CONCERNS, THE TECHNICIANS STOPPED WORKING NIGHTS AND WEEKENDS AND THEREFORE HAD TO CHANGE THE SCHEDULED DOWNTIME. LUCKILY, THE PLT WAS AWARE CLT HAD MISSED MAKING THE HDOF AND CALLED GREER APCH BEFORE ANY CONFLICT WITH OTHER TFC TOOK PLACE.

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.