Narrative:

An small transport was cruising at 17000' on IFR in IMC between afj and ilg, direct to dqo direct ilg, positioning it 2 mi south of ths VOR at the time of the incident. The cleveland ARTCC controller handed off this small transport to ny ARTCC and prior to communications changeover executed successfully a pointout to washington ARTCC's hagerstown sector. As the small transport approached the ths VOR, while on ZNY frequency, an uncorrelated target showing XXXX code and no mode C readout appeared south of ths VOR northbound. This XXXX code target passed very close right in front of the small transport in the ths VOR vicinity. After clearing and continuing northbound the XXXX code was idented by ZDC as a runaway dca departure. It was air carrier X at 17000' (same as the small transport) bnd for dtw. The pilot once on cleveland's indianhead sector frequency asked if there had been a problem with his transponder. At that point it was operating correctly. I told the pilot I thought there would be an investigation as there seemed to have been a breakdown in the ATC system and I didn't know how he'd be hearing about it. No mention was made by flight crews or controllers of the traffic conflict. It is being assumed both were IMC. The story heard by me was that dulles approach had not departed the air carrier X flight plan or made any handoff to ZDC. I assumed the first time ZDC was aware of the aircraft (type aircraft) was when it was already in ZOB airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PENETRATED ADJACENT FAC AIRSPACE WITHOUT HANDOFF.

Narrative: AN SMT WAS CRUISING AT 17000' ON IFR IN IMC BTWN AFJ AND ILG, DIRECT TO DQO DIRECT ILG, POSITIONING IT 2 MI S OF THS VOR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE CLEVELAND ARTCC CTLR HANDED OFF THIS SMT TO NY ARTCC AND PRIOR TO COMS CHANGEOVER EXECUTED SUCCESSFULLY A POINTOUT TO WASHINGTON ARTCC'S HAGERSTOWN SECTOR. AS THE SMT APCHED THE THS VOR, WHILE ON ZNY FREQ, AN UNCORRELATED TARGET SHOWING XXXX CODE AND NO MODE C READOUT APPEARED S OF THS VOR NBND. THIS XXXX CODE TARGET PASSED VERY CLOSE RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE SMT IN THE THS VOR VICINITY. AFTER CLRING AND CONTINUING NBOUND THE XXXX CODE WAS IDENTED BY ZDC AS A RUNAWAY DCA DEP. IT WAS ACR X AT 17000' (SAME AS THE SMT) BND FOR DTW. THE PLT ONCE ON CLEVELAND'S INDIANHEAD SECTOR FREQ ASKED IF THERE HAD BEEN A PROB WITH HIS XPONDER. AT THAT POINT IT WAS OPERATING CORRECTLY. I TOLD THE PLT I THOUGHT THERE WOULD BE AN INVESTIGATION AS THERE SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN A BREAKDOWN IN THE ATC SYS AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW HE'D BE HEARING ABOUT IT. NO MENTION WAS MADE BY FLT CREWS OR CTLRS OF THE TFC CONFLICT. IT IS BEING ASSUMED BOTH WERE IMC. THE STORY HEARD BY ME WAS THAT DULLES APCH HAD NOT DEPARTED THE ACR X FLT PLAN OR MADE ANY HDOF TO ZDC. I ASSUMED THE FIRST TIME ZDC WAS AWARE OF THE ACFT (TYPE ACFT) WAS WHEN IT WAS ALREADY IN ZOB AIRSPACE.

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.