B737-300
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I was working R16/R86 and working a departure off MCO; Flight XXX; who was looking for FL360. In my traffic scan and looking to see where I could clear him on course; I noticed his departure code of a D was in the 3rd line (D represents MCO destination). This made me take a closer look at him and asked my D-Side to look into it. At this time the track for Flight XXX dropped off my scope. I restarted the track. After the track was restarted; it was stolen by Sector R48. I stole the track back. I asked my Flight XXX his destination since mine was showing a destination for MCO. He gave me his destination and I gave him a clearance on course. After talking to the Controller at R48; who was working another Flight XXX; he stated that the aircraft checked on his frequency with out a track. He called ZDC to ask who the aircraft was and why he was in his airspace without a handoff. The ZDC Controller stated that he was showing J16 with track control. Sector R48 told the ZDC Controller he was not J16 and queried him to why he switched the aircraft to him knowing he did not have RADAR contact. The ZDC Controller replied that you have an R16 somewhere don't you. The Controller at R48 started a new track on his Flight XXX and made him Flight XXXA. Both Flight XXX's had the same call sign; same CID; and same beacon code!! I am not sure why it happened; this should never happen. Air Carrier Dispatch and our system as a whole should have caught this and not allowed 2 aircraft with the same call signs in the air at the same time! I don't know what to recommend. I thought there were already fail safes to prevent this!
ZJX Controller described a very confused track/data block call sign event; noting his disbelief that this type of anomaly could not occur.