ATC equipment problem ARTS iia makes automated radar handoff to wrong center.

Attributes
ACN	271485
Time
Date	199405
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : sjt
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 9000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw tracon : maf
Route In Use	enroute airway : maf
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	271485
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Navigational Facility
Air Traffic Incident	other
Situations
Navigational Aid	Unspecified

Narrative:

Midland approach control took responsibility for sjt approach as of nov/X/93. We work with abi approach, ZFW, and 2 ZHU sectors. When automated handoffs are used, when the receiving controller takes the handoff, the position symbols changes to a 'C' no matter which sector it goes to. Twice within 1 hour, handoffs that should have gone to houston. Gouby sector actually went to ZFW. Seeing the completed handoff I was just about to issue a frequency change to gby low when ZFW calls and says 'just put them on houston.' if ZFW had not offered this, at minimum an operational deviation would have occurred if not an operational error. A memo was sent to lubbock automation and phone calls were made on or about jan/94, concerning this problem. Lbb automation insists 'there is no solution' while asw- 520 says that there are patches to solve this problem. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated the misdirected automatic radar handoff happens because the aircraft are flying through an area that says handoff to a certain sector. The aircraft is not supposed to be in handoff status to the wrong sector but another center sector. Maf is in the lbb hub and has no data system specialist assigned to the facility. All automation problems are handled by the lbb hub. Lbb automation has told the facility live with the problem because there is no fix. Asw- 520 says there is a fix. Ucr is being filed.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ATC EQUIP PROB ARTS IIA MAKES AUTOMATED RADAR HDOF TO WRONG CTR.

Narrative: MIDLAND APCH CTL TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR SJT APCH AS OF NOV/X/93. WE WORK WITH ABI APCH, ZFW, AND 2 ZHU SECTORS. WHEN AUTOMATED HDOFS ARE USED, WHEN THE RECEIVING CTLR TAKES THE HDOF, THE POS SYMBOLS CHANGES TO A 'C' NO MATTER WHICH SECTOR IT GOES TO. TWICE WITHIN 1 HR, HDOFS THAT SHOULD HAVE GONE TO HOUSTON. GOUBY SECTOR ACTUALLY WENT TO ZFW. SEEING THE COMPLETED HDOF I WAS JUST ABOUT TO ISSUE A FREQ CHANGE TO GBY LOW WHEN ZFW CALLS AND SAYS 'JUST PUT THEM ON HOUSTON.' IF ZFW HAD NOT OFFERED THIS, AT MINIMUM AN OPDEV WOULD HAVE OCCURRED IF NOT AN OPERROR. A MEMO WAS SENT TO LUBBOCK AUTOMATION AND PHONE CALLS WERE MADE ON OR ABOUT JAN/94, CONCERNING THIS PROB. LBB AUTOMATION INSISTS 'THERE IS NO SOLUTION' WHILE ASW- 520 SAYS THAT THERE ARE PATCHES TO SOLVE THIS PROB. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED THE MISDIRECTED AUTO RADAR HDOF HAPPENS BECAUSE THE ACFT ARE FLYING THROUGH AN AREA THAT SAYS HDOF TO A CERTAIN SECTOR. THE ACFT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE IN HDOF STATUS TO THE WRONG SECTOR BUT ANOTHER CTR SECTOR. MAF IS IN THE LBB HUB AND HAS NO DATA SYS SPECIALIST ASSIGNED TO THE FACILITY. ALL AUTOMATION PROBS ARE HANDLED BY THE LBB HUB. LBB AUTOMATION HAS TOLD THE FACILITY LIVE WITH THE PROB BECAUSE THERE IS NO FIX. ASW- 520 SAYS THERE IS A FIX. UCR IS BEING FILED.

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.