Figure 1. RC16 Format
RC16=ABE will cause the sort to issue user ABEND 16 instead of return code 16. The sort step is abnormally terminated without a dump and subsequent job steps are generally flushed by the operating system. However, JCL may specify job step(s) to be executed only in the event of an ABEND.
The delivered default is NORC16; unsuccessful completion of the sort causes a return code of 16 to be passed to the operating system or the invoking program.