Date: 201807
Location: GRR.Airport, MI
Aircraft: Stratotanker 135
Operator: Military
Operating under: Part 91
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Initial Climb
Airspace: Class C GRR; Class E GRR
ATC / advisory: TRACON GRR; Tower GRR
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Local
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Training / Qualification; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Approach
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control; Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem
Contributing factors: ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Aircraft; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: I was performing a skills check on Local Control. [One aircraft] was working the pattern and we had an occasional arrival and departure. One of the departures was Aircraft X. We cleared Aircraft X for takeoff; and shipped him to Departure at our normal time to do so. After reviewing the tapes; and watching the Falcon; Aircraft X acknowledged frequency change with us on Local. However he never checked in with Departure. He apparently forgot to turn on his transponder as well. We; the training team on Local; did not realize he did not tag up. We received no subsequent calls from Departure inquiring about Aircraft X. I did confirm they received the strip from the drop tube like normal; in fact we were not told of the scenario until about 40 minutes later. As far as recommendations go; I'm stumped as I realize we have a responsibility to make sure targets acquire and when we don't see them acquire you make a call; to make sure radar has them and to make sure they are talking to them. We failed to recognize that Aircraft X failed to acquire. Due to probably expectation bias; my scan failed to recognize that Aircraft X never tagged; and we unfortunately kept going on about our business as if everything was okay when he took frequency change.


Second narrative: I was working SAR and was fairly busy with traffic and was trying to split the sector off to the NAR Controller. I heard Aircraft X call for the first time and did not show him in my airspace. I at first thought that the Local Controller had thrown the strip down early and that Aircraft X had not departed yet. I asked Aircraft X to turn his transponder on and tell me his position. I also asked the NAR Controller who was trying to take the north airspace to look also and see if he saw Aircraft X; an aircraft at 4;000 ft; or any primary target out in the area. Neither one of us saw anything like that in the airspace. When Aircraft X finally got his transponder turned on he was 40 miles west of GRR at 4;000 feet. I immediately pointed him out to MKG Approach and handed him off to ZAU Center. We then notified the supervisor about the situation. Training was in progress on Local Control and trainee failed to notify radar about an aircraft not tagging up...as required by the SOP. The Aircraft X did not turn his transponder on and never took the frequency change. He then never contacted Departure until he was 40 miles away. He may have been having equipment issues with his radios and his transponder. The pilot maybe should be contacted to see if he had equipment issues. Also; maybe procedures should be reviewed for when a departure doesn't tag.


Synopsis: GRR Air Traffic Controllers reported an aircraft departed without the transponder on and checked in late resulting in an airspace incursion.