Narrative:

While working the satellite F position; I had an operational error because of 2 automation problems at our facility. The first problem was the flight progress strips printed out at the wrong position; and the second problem was the aircraft involved in the error did not tag up on my position symbol tag. Atl tower called me for a release on 2 aircraft to vpc. I advised they were both released. (When aircraft depart atl; the local controller scans a bar code on their flight progress strip. This is supposed to print out a strip at the appropriate radar position that will next work the aircraft. In this case; however; instead of the strip printing out at satellite F; it printed out at north departure.) when the first strip printed out at north departure; the departure controller called me and advised me he had a strip on a VFR PA28 going to vpc. When the first aircraft called me; he did not have his transponder on; so I had to devote a lot of attention to getting the aircraft radar idented. When the second PA28 departed; its flight progress strip also printed out at north departure. The second aircraft did have its transponder on; however; because of automation problems; the ARTS tag came up on another controller's position symbol. When the pilot called; he did not state his assigned altitude or altitude leaving. After I modified the tag to my symbol; and verified the aircraft's mode C; I issued the aircraft 3500 ft thinking he; too; was VFR. (This is the altitude VFR aircraft are issued off of atl.) the error occurred when the PA28 I thought was VFR flew over fty at 3500 ft when an IFR aircraft departed fty climbing to 3000 ft. When the second PA28 was 15 mi northwest of fty; I noticed an inbound IFR flight progress strip on the subject aircraft. After questioning the aircraft; I determined the aircraft was IFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A80 CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 3500 FT DURING AUTOMATION PROBS LEADING TO A FAILURE TO REALIZE ONE ACFT INVOLVED WAS IFR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING THE SATELLITE F POS; I HAD AN OPERROR BECAUSE OF 2 AUTOMATION PROBS AT OUR FACILITY. THE FIRST PROB WAS THE FLT PROGRESS STRIPS PRINTED OUT AT THE WRONG POS; AND THE SECOND PROB WAS THE ACFT INVOLVED IN THE ERROR DID NOT TAG UP ON MY POS SYMBOL TAG. ATL TWR CALLED ME FOR A RELEASE ON 2 ACFT TO VPC. I ADVISED THEY WERE BOTH RELEASED. (WHEN ACFT DEPART ATL; THE LCL CTLR SCANS A BAR CODE ON THEIR FLT PROGRESS STRIP. THIS IS SUPPOSED TO PRINT OUT A STRIP AT THE APPROPRIATE RADAR POS THAT WILL NEXT WORK THE ACFT. IN THIS CASE; HOWEVER; INSTEAD OF THE STRIP PRINTING OUT AT SATELLITE F; IT PRINTED OUT AT N DEP.) WHEN THE FIRST STRIP PRINTED OUT AT N DEP; THE DEP CTLR CALLED ME AND ADVISED ME HE HAD A STRIP ON A VFR PA28 GOING TO VPC. WHEN THE FIRST ACFT CALLED ME; HE DID NOT HAVE HIS XPONDER ON; SO I HAD TO DEVOTE A LOT OF ATTN TO GETTING THE ACFT RADAR IDENTED. WHEN THE SECOND PA28 DEPARTED; ITS FLT PROGRESS STRIP ALSO PRINTED OUT AT N DEP. THE SECOND ACFT DID HAVE ITS XPONDER ON; HOWEVER; BECAUSE OF AUTOMATION PROBS; THE ARTS TAG CAME UP ON ANOTHER CTLR'S POS SYMBOL. WHEN THE PLT CALLED; HE DID NOT STATE HIS ASSIGNED ALT OR ALT LEAVING. AFTER I MODIFIED THE TAG TO MY SYMBOL; AND VERIFIED THE ACFT'S MODE C; I ISSUED THE ACFT 3500 FT THINKING HE; TOO; WAS VFR. (THIS IS THE ALT VFR ACFT ARE ISSUED OFF OF ATL.) THE ERROR OCCURRED WHEN THE PA28 I THOUGHT WAS VFR FLEW OVER FTY AT 3500 FT WHEN AN IFR ACFT DEPARTED FTY CLBING TO 3000 FT. WHEN THE SECOND PA28 WAS 15 MI NW OF FTY; I NOTICED AN INBOUND IFR FLT PROGRESS STRIP ON THE SUBJECT ACFT. AFTER QUESTIONING THE ACFT; I DETERMINED THE ACFT WAS IFR.

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.