Narrative:

After verbal release from radar controller; I cleared aircraft for takeoff. Radar controller advised of multiple flight plans in system. Aircraft is off departure end of runway. Aircraft asked for frequency change to departure. I gave frequency change. I observed aircraft identify and leave assigned altitude. Data tag did not acquire. LOA makes me responsible for data acquisition. After observing identify and climb; I assumed radar controller had radar contact and did not perform verbal handoff. Aircraft later entered mizzu approach airspace without being handed off. Contributing factors: LOA that puts responsibility of data acquisition on the VFR tower controller who is supposed to be looking out the window and not watching the radar display. Flight data strip printer being OTS. This did not allow us to receive all flight plans. Thus; not allowing the tower operators to remove duplicates. Radar controller's workload. Keeping him from answering the interphone for coordination. Actions or inactions: just because the radar controller climbs an aircraft on initial contact does not mean he is radar idented. Tower controller should still verbally hand off if data tag does not acquire.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUS CTLR DESCRIBES OPDEV BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT AN IFR DEP WAS PROPERLY TAGGED IN COMPLIANCE OF AN LOA.

Narrative: AFTER VERBAL RELEASE FROM RADAR CTLR; I CLRED ACFT FOR TKOF. RADAR CTLR ADVISED OF MULTIPLE FLT PLANS IN SYS. ACFT IS OFF DEP END OF RWY. ACFT ASKED FOR FREQ CHANGE TO DEP. I GAVE FREQ CHANGE. I OBSERVED ACFT IDENT AND LEAVE ASSIGNED ALT. DATA TAG DID NOT ACQUIRE. LOA MAKES ME RESPONSIBLE FOR DATA ACQUISITION. AFTER OBSERVING IDENT AND CLB; I ASSUMED RADAR CTLR HAD RADAR CONTACT AND DID NOT PERFORM VERBAL HDOF. ACFT LATER ENTERED MIZZU APCH AIRSPACE WITHOUT BEING HANDED OFF. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LOA THAT PUTS RESPONSIBILITY OF DATA ACQUISITION ON THE VFR TWR CTLR WHO IS SUPPOSED TO BE LOOKING OUT THE WINDOW AND NOT WATCHING THE RADAR DISPLAY. FLT DATA STRIP PRINTER BEING OTS. THIS DID NOT ALLOW US TO RECEIVE ALL FLT PLANS. THUS; NOT ALLOWING THE TWR OPERATORS TO REMOVE DUPLICATES. RADAR CTLR'S WORKLOAD. KEEPING HIM FROM ANSWERING THE INTERPHONE FOR COORD. ACTIONS OR INACTIONS: JUST BECAUSE THE RADAR CTLR CLBS AN ACFT ON INITIAL CONTACT DOES NOT MEAN HE IS RADAR IDENTED. TWR CTLR SHOULD STILL VERBALLY HAND OFF IF DATA TAG DOES NOT ACQUIRE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.