Small transport entered adjacent airspace without a handoff.

Attributes
ACN	117989
Time
Date	198907
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : iad
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : iad
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	117989
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure 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 am employed as an air traffic control specialist at dulles tower, chantilly, va, certified on all operational positions. I was working a radar arrival/departure position at the time of incident. The incident involved an small transport aircraft on an IFR flight plan at 12,000' transiting my sector's airspace. The pilot had checked in on frequency at the appropriate time. Upon becoming distracted by other traffic in the sector, the aircraft was allowed to exit the dulles airspace and enter washington center airspace without a radar handoff accomplished. Upon realizing the error, I coordinated with the appropriate center sector, radar identity was established and communication transfer completed. I do not believe traffic volume or any other factors was a causal factor in this incident. The aircraft was on a route not customary to the normal flow, which may have placed it in a position to be less noticeable. Upon further investigation into dulles radar tracking data, it was discovered that the ARTS data track dropped from the target at least 10 NM prior to airspace exit, which was quite probably a factor in aircraft recognition.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMT ENTERED ADJACENT AIRSPACE WITHOUT A HANDOFF.

Narrative: I AM EMPLOYED AS AN AIR TFC CTL SPECIALIST AT DULLES TWR, CHANTILLY, VA, CERTIFIED ON ALL OPERATIONAL POSITIONS. I WAS WORKING A RADAR ARR/DEP POSITION AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT. THE INCIDENT INVOLVED AN SMT ACFT ON AN IFR FLT PLAN AT 12,000' TRANSITING MY SECTOR'S AIRSPACE. THE PLT HAD CHECKED IN ON FREQ AT THE APPROPRIATE TIME. UPON BECOMING DISTRACTED BY OTHER TFC IN THE SECTOR, THE ACFT WAS ALLOWED TO EXIT THE DULLES AIRSPACE AND ENTER WASHINGTON CENTER AIRSPACE WITHOUT A RADAR HANDOFF ACCOMPLISHED. UPON REALIZING THE ERROR, I COORDINATED WITH THE APPROPRIATE CENTER SECTOR, RADAR IDENTITY WAS ESTABLISHED AND COM TRANSFER COMPLETED. I DO NOT BELIEVE TFC VOLUME OR ANY OTHER FACTORS WAS A CAUSAL FACTOR IN THIS INCIDENT. THE ACFT WAS ON A ROUTE NOT CUSTOMARY TO THE NORMAL FLOW, WHICH MAY HAVE PLACED IT IN A POSITION TO BE LESS NOTICEABLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION INTO DULLES RADAR TRACKING DATA, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ARTS DATA TRACK DROPPED FROM THE TARGET AT LEAST 10 NM PRIOR TO AIRSPACE EXIT, WHICH WAS QUITE PROBABLY A FACTOR IN ACFT RECOGNITION.

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.