Narrative:

I was working west radar at lafayette approach control (a departure), climbing out of lafayette. At about 10 northwest of lft I handed the aircraft off to ZHU poe low sector. At about 18 northwest the handoff was accepted by ZHU. I then transferred communications to ZHU. The aircraft was almost out of 7000'. When I next observed air carrier, the aircraft was at 10,000', 3 mi west of the lft-lch boundary. I checked with lch to see if a pointout was given on the aircraft. It was not. I believe the situation occurred because of the difference of opinion between the management of lft and the management of ZHU. Our management has advised us that the responsibility for the pointout falls on ZHU and ZHU believes that the responsibility is ours. As of this writing, both mgmnts are waiting for an official ruling from washington. I feel that I am unjustly sitting in the middle of this problem and don't see how I can be blamed for a system deviation when neither management knows what is the correct way or who is responsible for the pointout. I feel that I did as I was briefed to do. To alleviate this problem from happening again, I think a decision should be made, as soon as possible, as to who is responsible for making the pointout, then a briefing should be made to controllers in both lft and ZHU, to make sure there is no misunderstanding again.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: UNCOORD PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION. SITUATION: WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR POINTOUT TO LCH APCH CTL. LFT APCH CTL OR ZHU? THIS IS BEING RULED ON BY FAA WASHINGTON HEADQUARTERS.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING W RADAR AT LAFAYETTE APCH CTL (A DEP), CLIMBING OUT OF LAFAYETTE. AT ABOUT 10 NW OF LFT I HANDED THE ACFT OFF TO ZHU POE LOW SECTOR. AT ABOUT 18 NW THE HANDOFF WAS ACCEPTED BY ZHU. I THEN TRANSFERRED COMS TO ZHU. THE ACFT WAS ALMOST OUT OF 7000'. WHEN I NEXT OBSERVED ACR, THE ACFT WAS AT 10,000', 3 MI W OF THE LFT-LCH BOUNDARY. I CHECKED WITH LCH TO SEE IF A POINTOUT WAS GIVEN ON THE ACFT. IT WAS NOT. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE OF THE DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THE MGMNT OF LFT AND THE MGMNT OF ZHU. OUR MGMNT HAS ADVISED US THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE POINTOUT FALLS ON ZHU AND ZHU BELIEVES THAT THE RESPONSIBILITY IS OURS. AS OF THIS WRITING, BOTH MGMNTS ARE WAITING FOR AN OFFICIAL RULING FROM WASHINGTON. I FEEL THAT I AM UNJUSTLY SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS PROBLEM AND DON'T SEE HOW I CAN BE BLAMED FOR A SYSTEM DEVIATION WHEN NEITHER MGMNT KNOWS WHAT IS THE CORRECT WAY OR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE POINTOUT. I FEEL THAT I DID AS I WAS BRIEFED TO DO. TO ALLEVIATE THIS PROBLEM FROM HAPPENING AGAIN, I THINK A DECISION SHOULD BE MADE, AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, AS TO WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAKING THE POINTOUT, THEN A BRIEFING SHOULD BE MADE TO CTLRS IN BOTH LFT AND ZHU, TO MAKE SURE THERE IS NO MISUNDERSTANDING AGAIN.

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.