Date: 201604
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: CHS.TRACON, SC
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: Cessna 425 Corsair
Operator: Personal
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Personal
Flight phase: Cruise
Airspace: Class E CHS
ATC / advisory: TRACON CHS
Second aircraft: Beechcraft Single Piston Undifferentiated or Other Model
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Situational Awareness; Human-Machine Interface
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Air Traffic Control Separated Traffic; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
Primary problem: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings

Narrative: CHS has ARTS IIE radar. Aircraft X departed while [another aircraft] was in the instrument pattern and there were a few other aircraft inbound for a full stop approach. Satellite and overflight traffic were light. I observed the Center radar data tag on Aircraft Y northeast of CHS southwest bound at VFR at 10;500 feet. I climbed Aircraft X to 10;000 feet when clear of traffic inbound to CHS and I vectored aircraft northwest to avoid point out with NBC approach. When Aircraft X was 10 to 15 west-northwest I cleared him on course (pilot advised earlier almost 290 degrees). This would let him track along the boundary between CHS and NBC. When he was out of 7;000 feet and Center had received the handoff I released Aircraft X to Center. At that time Center initiated the handoff to me on Aircraft Y overhead the CHS VOR. I took the handoff while there appeared another aircraft data tag at the same location at the same time. I accepted that handoff as well; deconflicted the tags and observed the tag of [another aircraft]. The [incorrect] data tag dropped off and the Aircraft Y remained. West Handoff (WHO) observed a * at 10;000 feet tracking toward Aircraft X. He questioned me as to who that was or if NBC had accomplished a point out on that aircraft; no to either. He looked at the beacon code and said that it was Aircraft Y when the tag for Aircraft Y was 15 Southwest CHS (the * was 30 W CHS). I tried to reidentify the Aircraft Y but he had returned to NBC approach. Center then said that the aircraft 15 miles southwest CHS was Aircraft Z; so I tried to talk to [him] and he wasn't on frequency either. Shortly thereafter; we observed the track of Aircraft Y turn right and track behind Aircraft X.How can the data tag on an aircraft jump 30-40 miles during and after a handoff? How can the ART IIE radar displays allow a controller to accept a handoff on an aircraft when the tag is not correlating with the assigned aircraft?Examine the ARTs computer and the interface between CHS and Center. Tell Center controllers to make sure that the aircraft are on the correct assigned beacon code.




Synopsis: A TRACON controller reported difficulty with handoffs from the Center. One of the data tags disappeared from the radar display and displayed a *splat* symbol. The other handoff data tag was in a different location than the TRACON controller's radar display indicated.