ZOB radar controller misidented 1 of the 3 aircraft off aoo resulting in a loss of separation.

Attributes
ACN	559386
Time
Date	200209
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aoo.airport
State Reference	PA
Altitude	agl single value : 90
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Citationjet, C525/C526
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob.artcc
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Super King Air 200 HDC
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 14
ASRS Report	559386
Person 2
Affiliation	other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 4
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

2 aircraft departed aoo VFR. Requested IFR on separate frequencys. Another VFR aircraft had just departed aoo in front of these 2 company aircraft. When I asked aircraft X to squawk code, the first VFR target was observed changing codes. I radar idented aircraft X as that target. The target went back to 1200 and aircraft X had been issued a clearance and appeared 1.5 mi west of aircraft Y not the target I was watching. He, aircraft X, had company aircraft Y in sight but separation was already lost.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB RADAR CTLR MISIDENTED 1 OF THE 3 ACFT OFF AOO RESULTING IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION.

Narrative: 2 ACFT DEPARTED AOO VFR. REQUESTED IFR ON SEPARATE FREQS. ANOTHER VFR ACFT HAD JUST DEPARTED AOO IN FRONT OF THESE 2 COMPANY ACFT. WHEN I ASKED ACFT X TO SQUAWK CODE, THE FIRST VFR TARGET WAS OBSERVED CHANGING CODES. I RADAR IDENTED ACFT X AS THAT TARGET. THE TARGET WENT BACK TO 1200 AND ACFT X HAD BEEN ISSUED A CLRNC AND APPEARED 1.5 MI W OF ACFT Y NOT THE TARGET I WAS WATCHING. HE, ACFT X, HAD COMPANY ACFT Y IN SIGHT BUT SEPARATION WAS ALREADY LOST.

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.