B767-300 and 300 ER
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors
When I took the sector from the previous controller; he informed me that a B767 at FL340 needed to be descended to FL310 at Santa Maria's request. I sent the clearance then took a break about 10 or 15 minutes later. When I returned to work the following week; my Supervisor informed me that I had hit VHF instead of SEND and the aircraft crossed the boundary with LPAZ at the wrong altitude. Controllers need to be reminded of the need to be extra careful with sending clearances when they work Ocean21. Several CPC's told me they have made the same mistake of hitting VHF since we started using ATOP.
ZNY Controller described a probable airspace error when incorrectly transmitting a data communication; datalink.