Narrative:

I was providing training when aircraft X checked on frequency at 13000 ft from ZHU 40 ft. Aircraft X requested a descent so my trainee pointed the aircraft out to polk approach and then approach required a descent to 6000 ft with shv approach. At this time a clearance was given to aircraft X to descend to 6000 ft; which I couldn't hear. The radar controller who was also providing OJT instruction asked if we had control for descent from ZHU 40 ft which I replied the aircraft was in our airspace and didn't need control of. At this time I didn't know that the descent clearance had been issued. Because of the confign of the sector in relation to the supervisor desk being where I would normally need to situation; I cannot get close enough to the sector to hear the conversation between the d-side and the r-side controllers. I also am pushed far enough out in the aisle at an angle that the ability to accurately see where a target is in relation to airspace is impossible. We had a check ride going on; on the right side; so we had 5 people plugged into the sector which pushed me out into the main walk aisle through the control room. At no time did I ever have the ability to hear the d-side tell the r-side that the aircraft was his control for descent and from the time of coordination with shv approach that descent to 6000 ft was approved till the time the clearance was issued was approximately 5 seconds. Due to the sector and control room confign; I never had a chance to prevent this deviation from happening.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW ASSOCIATE CONTROLLER; PROVIDING OJT; DESCRIBED OPERATIONAL DEVIATION WHEN DESCENT CLEARANCE WAS ISSUED WITHOUT APPROPRIATE COORDINATION.

Narrative: I WAS PROVIDING TRAINING WHEN ACFT X CHKED ON FREQ AT 13000 FT FROM ZHU 40 FT. ACFT X REQUESTED A DSCNT SO MY TRAINEE POINTED THE ACFT OUT TO POLK APCH AND THEN APCH REQUIRED A DSCNT TO 6000 FT WITH SHV APCH. AT THIS TIME A CLRNC WAS GIVEN TO ACFT X TO DSND TO 6000 FT; WHICH I COULDN'T HEAR. THE RADAR CTLR WHO WAS ALSO PROVIDING OJT INSTRUCTION ASKED IF WE HAD CTL FOR DSCNT FROM ZHU 40 FT WHICH I REPLIED THE ACFT WAS IN OUR AIRSPACE AND DIDN'T NEED CTL OF. AT THIS TIME I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THE DSCNT CLRNC HAD BEEN ISSUED. BECAUSE OF THE CONFIGN OF THE SECTOR IN RELATION TO THE SUPVR DESK BEING WHERE I WOULD NORMALLY NEED TO SIT; I CANNOT GET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SECTOR TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION BTWN THE D-SIDE AND THE R-SIDE CTLRS. I ALSO AM PUSHED FAR ENOUGH OUT IN THE AISLE AT AN ANGLE THAT THE ABILITY TO ACCURATELY SEE WHERE A TARGET IS IN RELATION TO AIRSPACE IS IMPOSSIBLE. WE HAD A CHK RIDE GOING ON; ON THE R SIDE; SO WE HAD 5 PEOPLE PLUGGED INTO THE SECTOR WHICH PUSHED ME OUT INTO THE MAIN WALK AISLE THROUGH THE CTL ROOM. AT NO TIME DID I EVER HAVE THE ABILITY TO HEAR THE D-SIDE TELL THE R-SIDE THAT THE ACFT WAS HIS CTL FOR DSCNT AND FROM THE TIME OF COORD WITH SHV APCH THAT DSCNT TO 6000 FT WAS APPROVED TILL THE TIME THE CLRNC WAS ISSUED WAS APPROX 5 SECONDS. DUE TO THE SECTOR AND CTL ROOM CONFIGN; I NEVER HAD A CHANCE TO PREVENT THIS DEV FROM HAPPENING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.