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ARTCC radar controller took a manual handoff from adjacent ARTCC on a C340, but did not question altitude or type flight plan on the aircraft. Later checked the computer and found a VFR flight plan and assumed that it was correct. Subsequently the C340 had less than standard separation with an air carrier B737 and at that time the controller found that the C340 was on an IFR flight plan.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 338869 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199606 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zab artcc : zla |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : private |
| Experience | controller radar : 6 flight time total : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 338867 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
ZLA was unable to make an automated handoff to my sector on a C340. When they called on the land line to make a handoff, they did not state the altitude when the flight plan was passed. When I checked my computer after receiving the call I saw that the flight plan was in the computer showing VFR as an altitude. We used that as the flight plan. The aircraft was actually IFR, but we thought he was VFR. Later the C340 got within approximately 3 mi and 600 ft of a B737-a who was IFR. Business, incomplete flight plan information passed verbally, and the existing VFR flight plan were all contributing factors to this situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR TOOK A MANUAL HDOF FROM ADJACENT ARTCC ON A C340, BUT DID NOT QUESTION ALT OR TYPE FLT PLAN ON THE ACFT. LATER CHKED THE COMPUTER AND FOUND A VFR FLT PLAN AND ASSUMED THAT IT WAS CORRECT. SUBSEQUENTLY THE C340 HAD LTSS WITH AN ACR B737 AND AT THAT TIME THE CTLR FOUND THAT THE C340 WAS ON AN IFR FLT PLAN.
Narrative: ZLA WAS UNABLE TO MAKE AN AUTOMATED HDOF TO MY SECTOR ON A C340. WHEN THEY CALLED ON THE LAND LINE TO MAKE A HDOF, THEY DID NOT STATE THE ALT WHEN THE FLT PLAN WAS PASSED. WHEN I CHKED MY COMPUTER AFTER RECEIVING THE CALL I SAW THAT THE FLT PLAN WAS IN THE COMPUTER SHOWING VFR AS AN ALT. WE USED THAT AS THE FLT PLAN. THE ACFT WAS ACTUALLY IFR, BUT WE THOUGHT HE WAS VFR. LATER THE C340 GOT WITHIN APPROX 3 MI AND 600 FT OF A B737-A WHO WAS IFR. BUSINESS, INCOMPLETE FLT PLAN INFO PASSED VERBALLY, AND THE EXISTING VFR FLT PLAN WERE ALL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THIS SIT.
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.