Eri approach controller observed lost communication and hijack transponder codes being used by aircraft arriving from canadian airspace causing their video alarms and flashing aircraft data codes to appear by each aircraft. Supervisor of ZOB was contacted and resolved the problem with the foreign ATC ctrs.

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Attributes
ACN	484828
Time
Date	200009
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : eri.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 0
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local controller : approach controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 2 controller military : 4 controller non radar : 23 controller radar : 28 controller supervisory : 2 controller time certified in position1 : 12
ASRS Report	484828
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar controller : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : radar alarm other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Facility ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error other
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : czyz.artcc

Narrative:

On the night of sep/xa/00, several aircraft entering united states airspace from canadian airspace were squawking 7700 and 7600 block codes. When this occurs, all terminal facilities receive video alarms (flashing data blocks) and aural alarms (audio alarm from monitor panels) via the ARTS system. Calls were made to ZOB and it was discovered that toronto center was assigning 7700 block codes and montreal center was assigning 7600 block codes. 7600 is the lost communication code and 7700 is the hijack code. On sep/xb/00 at XA30, I called the ZOB supervisor and requested they reassign a different code to all aircraft entering united states airspace that were on either 7700 or 7600 block codes. They complied and advised that FAA headquarters was trying to correct the situation. On the morning of sep/xc/00 I witnessed no more occurrences of this practice.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ERI APCH CTLR OBSERVED LOST COM AND HIJACK XPONDER CODES BEING USED BY ACFT ARRIVING FROM CANADIAN AIRSPACE CAUSING THEIR VIDEO ALARMS AND FLASHING ACFT DATA CODES TO APPEAR BY EACH ACFT. SUPVR OF ZOB WAS CONTACTED AND RESOLVED THE PROB WITH THE FOREIGN ATC CTRS.

Narrative: ON THE NIGHT OF SEP/XA/00, SEVERAL ACFT ENTERING UNITED STATES AIRSPACE FROM CANADIAN AIRSPACE WERE SQUAWKING 7700 AND 7600 BLOCK CODES. WHEN THIS OCCURS, ALL TERMINAL FACILITIES RECEIVE VIDEO ALARMS (FLASHING DATA BLOCKS) AND AURAL ALARMS (AUDIO ALARM FROM MONITOR PANELS) VIA THE ARTS SYS. CALLS WERE MADE TO ZOB AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT TORONTO CTR WAS ASSIGNING 7700 BLOCK CODES AND MONTREAL CTR WAS ASSIGNING 7600 BLOCK CODES. 7600 IS THE LOST COM CODE AND 7700 IS THE HIJACK CODE. ON SEP/XB/00 AT XA30, I CALLED THE ZOB SUPVR AND REQUESTED THEY REASSIGN A DIFFERENT CODE TO ALL ACFT ENTERING UNITED STATES AIRSPACE THAT WERE ON EITHER 7700 OR 7600 BLOCK CODES. THEY COMPLIED AND ADVISED THAT FAA HEADQUARTERS WAS TRYING TO CORRECT THE SIT. ON THE MORNING OF SEP/XC/00 I WITNESSED NO MORE OCCURRENCES OF THIS PRACTICE.

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.