Air carrier penetrated adjacent facility airspace without a handoff.

Attributes
ACN	114390
Time
Date	198906
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : rbg
State Reference	OR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 33000 msl bound upper : 33000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zoa artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	114390
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

I am an fpl controller at seattle ARTCC. I was working air carrier X from eug.J143 to ZOA airspace. I thought I had initiated a computer 'handoff' to ZOA. I then gave air carrier X a frequency change to ZOA. About 3 min later the controller at ZOA called to ask who the aircraft was. He had changed to the same squawk code as air carrier X (maybe hd had heard ZOA talking to the other company aircraft and mixed-up call signs). The controller at ZOA and I were able to work out the problem and no other controllers or supervisors were aware of the error. The real problem: the 'automatic handoff feature' is built into our computer to help avoid this situation. For an unknown reason, aircraft departing pdx, sea, and yvr, who fly south on J143, will not automatically handoff. The problem was looked into 2/xx/89. At that time it was referred to as a 'tech-center/software group'. (We saw no action.) the problem was brought up again 6/X/89. The answer again, a software problem. They are 'working on it'. This is not the first time I have had this 'systems deviation' and I am not the only one.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR PENETRATED ADJACENT FAC AIRSPACE WITHOUT A HANDOFF.

Narrative: I AM AN FPL CTLR AT SEATTLE ARTCC. I WAS WORKING ACR X FROM EUG.J143 TO ZOA AIRSPACE. I THOUGHT I HAD INITIATED A COMPUTER 'HANDOFF' TO ZOA. I THEN GAVE ACR X A FREQ CHANGE TO ZOA. ABOUT 3 MIN LATER THE CTLR AT ZOA CALLED TO ASK WHO THE ACFT WAS. HE HAD CHANGED TO THE SAME SQUAWK CODE AS ACR X (MAYBE HD HAD HEARD ZOA TALKING TO THE OTHER COMPANY ACFT AND MIXED-UP CALL SIGNS). THE CTLR AT ZOA AND I WERE ABLE TO WORK OUT THE PROBLEM AND NO OTHER CTLRS OR SUPVRS WERE AWARE OF THE ERROR. THE REAL PROBLEM: THE 'AUTO HANDOFF FEATURE' IS BUILT INTO OUR COMPUTER TO HELP AVOID THIS SITUATION. FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON, ACFT DEPARTING PDX, SEA, AND YVR, WHO FLY S ON J143, WILL NOT AUTOMATICALLY HANDOFF. THE PROBLEM WAS LOOKED INTO 2/XX/89. AT THAT TIME IT WAS REFERRED TO AS A 'TECH-CENTER/SOFTWARE GROUP'. (WE SAW NO ACTION.) THE PROBLEM WAS BROUGHT UP AGAIN 6/X/89. THE ANSWER AGAIN, A SOFTWARE PROBLEM. THEY ARE 'WORKING ON IT'. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME I HAVE HAD THIS 'SYSTEMS DEVIATION' AND I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE.

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.