Aircraft penetrated adjacent facility airspace without handoff.

Attributes
ACN	110537
Time
Date	198904
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : gpt
State Reference	MS
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gpt
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	110537
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I was working the radar positions. 90% of my scope was covered with WX. The aircraft in question was an IFR overflt en route to new orleans. He had requested radar vectors to remain clear of the WX. I issued a heading to allow him to remain clear. It was necessary for me to allow all WX to be painted so as to keep all aircraft out of it. My direct access line with keesler tower was OTS. I was getting an extreme amount of data block flicker due to all the WX on the scope. The traffic load was building fast, and becoming difficult due to the WX and equipment failure. I glanced down at the aircraft in question, saw what appeared to be an accomplished handoff with msy. With hindsight,I realize now that the handoff was not accomplished, but it was data block flicker that caused it to appear that way. The aircraft then entered a large WX area via direct to msy. I turned my attention to other duties. When the aircraft cleared the WX area he was on the boundary line of mine and msy airspace and not handed off, I completed a handoff with msy via the landline, then went back and completed 1 via automation. I feel that due to equipment failure and other aircraft in distress because of WX, this situation could not have been avoided.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT PENETRATED ADJACENT FAC AIRSPACE WITHOUT HANDOFF.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR POSITIONS. 90% OF MY SCOPE WAS COVERED WITH WX. THE ACFT IN QUESTION WAS AN IFR OVERFLT ENRTE TO NEW ORLEANS. HE HAD REQUESTED RADAR VECTORS TO REMAIN CLR OF THE WX. I ISSUED A HDG TO ALLOW HIM TO REMAIN CLR. IT WAS NECESSARY FOR ME TO ALLOW ALL WX TO BE PAINTED SO AS TO KEEP ALL ACFT OUT OF IT. MY DIRECT ACCESS LINE WITH KEESLER TWR WAS OTS. I WAS GETTING AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF DATA BLOCK FLICKER DUE TO ALL THE WX ON THE SCOPE. THE TFC LOAD WAS BUILDING FAST, AND BECOMING DIFFICULT DUE TO THE WX AND EQUIPMENT FAILURE. I GLANCED DOWN AT THE ACFT IN QUESTION, SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE AN ACCOMPLISHED HDOF WITH MSY. WITH HINDSIGHT,I REALIZE NOW THAT THE HDOF WAS NOT ACCOMPLISHED, BUT IT WAS DATA BLOCK FLICKER THAT CAUSED IT TO APPEAR THAT WAY. THE ACFT THEN ENTERED A LARGE WX AREA VIA DIRECT TO MSY. I TURNED MY ATTN TO OTHER DUTIES. WHEN THE ACFT CLRED THE WX AREA HE WAS ON THE BOUNDARY LINE OF MINE AND MSY AIRSPACE AND NOT HANDED OFF, I COMPLETED A HDOF WITH MSY VIA THE LANDLINE, THEN WENT BACK AND COMPLETED 1 VIA AUTOMATION. I FEEL THAT DUE TO EQUIP FAILURE AND OTHER ACFT IN DISTRESS BECAUSE OF WX, THIS SITUATION COULD NOT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.