Narrative:

I was working the act low sector. The tfr for the enlarged area around P49 was in effect. I had 2 F16's orbiting in the area, and a tanker orbit area impacting my sector. Shortly before the incident, I received 3 handoffs on aircraft landing at aus. High altitude had started to try to sequence these aircraft, but including the aus lander, I had in low, I had 4 aircraft within 40 mi of blewe intersection -- the point that I sequence for ZHU -- and all 4 jets were within 10 mi of each other. I had an aircraft climbing out on the TTT 156 degree radial going to FL230. Between he and the tanker, I had a fairly slim corridor in which I could sequence. In order to give bsm low, I had to give these aircraft some massive turns, but I had little room to work and so I had to pay close attention to what I was doing. Meanwhile, I had a king air check on my frequency climbing to 12000 ft. I could only climb the king air to 13000 ft because of the military cap. I was not too worried about the king air because I had bigger fish to fry, and so I did not notice his unusual route. I think that I missed his route for 4 reasons: 1) I was extremely preoccupied by my sequencing. 2) I was not briefed that the 10 mi prohibited area extended up to FL180 (normal standard is contained within act approach airspace). 3) I assumed that act direct almost anywhere would keep the aircraft clear of P49. 4) since act approach is the controling facility (P49) I expected -- rather than verified -- that they would have rerted any aircraft that they worked around P49 if their routing would violate the prohibited area. The incident was discovered by someone monitoring P49 at act approach and was brought to my attention after the aircraft had cleared the area.

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TFC SATURATED ZFW CTLR FAILS TO COORD WITH ACT TRACON AND DID NOT NOTICE THAT A BE20 HAD PENETRATED P49 AIRSPACE UNTIL AFTER IT HAD CLRED THE AREA.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE ACT LOW SECTOR. THE TFR FOR THE ENLARGED AREA AROUND P49 WAS IN EFFECT. I HAD 2 F16'S ORBITING IN THE AREA, AND A TANKER ORBIT AREA IMPACTING MY SECTOR. SHORTLY BEFORE THE INCIDENT, I RECEIVED 3 HDOFS ON ACFT LNDG AT AUS. HIGH ALT HAD STARTED TO TRY TO SEQUENCE THESE ACFT, BUT INCLUDING THE AUS LANDER, I HAD IN LOW, I HAD 4 ACFT WITHIN 40 MI OF BLEWE INTXN -- THE POINT THAT I SEQUENCE FOR ZHU -- AND ALL 4 JETS WERE WITHIN 10 MI OF EACH OTHER. I HAD AN ACFT CLBING OUT ON THE TTT 156 DEG RADIAL GOING TO FL230. BTWN HE AND THE TANKER, I HAD A FAIRLY SLIM CORRIDOR IN WHICH I COULD SEQUENCE. IN ORDER TO GIVE BSM LOW, I HAD TO GIVE THESE ACFT SOME MASSIVE TURNS, BUT I HAD LITTLE ROOM TO WORK AND SO I HAD TO PAY CLOSE ATTN TO WHAT I WAS DOING. MEANWHILE, I HAD A KING AIR CHK ON MY FREQ CLBING TO 12000 FT. I COULD ONLY CLB THE KING AIR TO 13000 FT BECAUSE OF THE MIL CAP. I WAS NOT TOO WORRIED ABOUT THE KING AIR BECAUSE I HAD BIGGER FISH TO FRY, AND SO I DID NOT NOTICE HIS UNUSUAL RTE. I THINK THAT I MISSED HIS RTE FOR 4 REASONS: 1) I WAS EXTREMELY PREOCCUPIED BY MY SEQUENCING. 2) I WAS NOT BRIEFED THAT THE 10 MI PROHIBITED AREA EXTENDED UP TO FL180 (NORMAL STANDARD IS CONTAINED WITHIN ACT APCH AIRSPACE). 3) I ASSUMED THAT ACT DIRECT ALMOST ANYWHERE WOULD KEEP THE ACFT CLR OF P49. 4) SINCE ACT APCH IS THE CTLING FACILITY (P49) I EXPECTED -- RATHER THAN VERIFIED -- THAT THEY WOULD HAVE RERTED ANY ACFT THAT THEY WORKED AROUND P49 IF THEIR ROUTING WOULD VIOLATE THE PROHIBITED AREA. THE INCIDENT WAS DISCOVERED BY SOMEONE MONITORING P49 AT ACT APCH AND WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN AFTER THE ACFT HAD CLRED THE AREA.

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.