Narrative:

At XA11Z, I cleared the aircraft for takeoff on runway 31L. Due to airspace constraints (lga airspace lies about 3 mi to the north/northwest), departures are issued an initial turn by clearance delivery when they receive their IFR clearance. This turn is issued in the form of a published climb. Generally, the departures turn left, away from the adjacent airspace. The aircraft in question was not issued a turn by clearance delivery, unbeknownst to me. I lost sight of the departure just after lift-off (due to the low ceiling/visibility), but observed the aircraft on radar. On this departure confign, before switching the departure over to departure control frequency, most of us watch to see that the departure is in a turn away from the adjacent airspace. I am in the habit of doing the same thing. Unfortunately, since I could not observe the aircraft visually, I waited on radar to observe the turn. When it appeared the aircraft was not turning, I looked at the flight progress strip, which had no departure climb written on it (the climb issued is normally written on the flight progress strip). However, in my mind, I began questioning whether the aircraft really did have the turn issued by clearance delivery, and continued to wait to see if the aircraft would turn. When the departure was still not turning, I issued a heading for the aircraft to turn away from the airspace. Unfortunately, I had waited too long, and the aircraft came within less than 1 1/2 mi from the airspace boundary (1 1/2 mi is normally the minimum requirement). I issued another turn, further away from the airspace, and the aircraft eventually became properly separated from the adjacent airspace. I could have avoided this situation if I had observed the lack of stripmarking (indicating a turn had been issued) on the flight progress strip, and by issuing a turn earlier. I cannot assume a turn was issued, when the strip shows no turn issued. Also, I pointed out the error to the clearance delivery person, who didn't realize the gravity of the situation -- that every departure needs to be issued a turn (the clearance delivery person has only been on the 'floor' for a month or so). In the future, I will not hesitate to issue an immediate turn, when I observe stripmarking that is not complete or correct.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: JFK CTLR FAILS TO RECOGNIZE INCORRECT DEP PROC OF IFR ACFT.

Narrative: AT XA11Z, I CLRED THE ACFT FOR TKOF ON RWY 31L. DUE TO AIRSPACE CONSTRAINTS (LGA AIRSPACE LIES ABOUT 3 MI TO THE N/NW), DEPS ARE ISSUED AN INITIAL TURN BY CLRNC DELIVERY WHEN THEY RECEIVE THEIR IFR CLRNC. THIS TURN IS ISSUED IN THE FORM OF A PUBLISHED CLB. GENERALLY, THE DEPS TURN L, AWAY FROM THE ADJACENT AIRSPACE. THE ACFT IN QUESTION WAS NOT ISSUED A TURN BY CLRNC DELIVERY, UNBEKNOWNST TO ME. I LOST SIGHT OF THE DEP JUST AFTER LIFT-OFF (DUE TO THE LOW CEILING/VISIBILITY), BUT OBSERVED THE ACFT ON RADAR. ON THIS DEP CONFIGN, BEFORE SWITCHING THE DEP OVER TO DEP CTL FREQ, MOST OF US WATCH TO SEE THAT THE DEP IS IN A TURN AWAY FROM THE ADJACENT AIRSPACE. I AM IN THE HABIT OF DOING THE SAME THING. UNFORTUNATELY, SINCE I COULD NOT OBSERVE THE ACFT VISUALLY, I WAITED ON RADAR TO OBSERVE THE TURN. WHEN IT APPEARED THE ACFT WAS NOT TURNING, I LOOKED AT THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP, WHICH HAD NO DEP CLB WRITTEN ON IT (THE CLB ISSUED IS NORMALLY WRITTEN ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP). HOWEVER, IN MY MIND, I BEGAN QUESTIONING WHETHER THE ACFT REALLY DID HAVE THE TURN ISSUED BY CLRNC DELIVERY, AND CONTINUED TO WAIT TO SEE IF THE ACFT WOULD TURN. WHEN THE DEP WAS STILL NOT TURNING, I ISSUED A HDG FOR THE ACFT TO TURN AWAY FROM THE AIRSPACE. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAD WAITED TOO LONG, AND THE ACFT CAME WITHIN LESS THAN 1 1/2 MI FROM THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY (1 1/2 MI IS NORMALLY THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT). I ISSUED ANOTHER TURN, FURTHER AWAY FROM THE AIRSPACE, AND THE ACFT EVENTUALLY BECAME PROPERLY SEPARATED FROM THE ADJACENT AIRSPACE. I COULD HAVE AVOIDED THIS SIT IF I HAD OBSERVED THE LACK OF STRIPMARKING (INDICATING A TURN HAD BEEN ISSUED) ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP, AND BY ISSUING A TURN EARLIER. I CANNOT ASSUME A TURN WAS ISSUED, WHEN THE STRIP SHOWS NO TURN ISSUED. ALSO, I POINTED OUT THE ERROR TO THE CLRNC DELIVERY PERSON, WHO DIDN'T REALIZE THE GRAVITY OF THE SIT -- THAT EVERY DEP NEEDS TO BE ISSUED A TURN (THE CLRNC DELIVERY PERSON HAS ONLY BEEN ON THE 'FLOOR' FOR A MONTH OR SO). IN THE FUTURE, I WILL NOT HESITATE TO ISSUE AN IMMEDIATE TURN, WHEN I OBSERVE STRIPMARKING THAT IS NOT COMPLETE OR CORRECT.

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.