Narrative:

I was controling traffic on west departure radar in bradley approach control (Y90) when cga X departed bdl en route to sch. He was vectored to the center VOR to intercept the route and climbed to 10,000. An automated handoff was initiated to albany approach (alb) approximately 20 mi from the airspace boundary. Another target was in handoff status to me. While I was coordinating with that controller to take the handoff and making other control instructions to various aircraft on my frequency, cga X was continuing towards the airspace boundary. As cga X was approaching the boundary, alb approach called via the landline requesting the altitude of cga X and was advised 10,000. Alb approach authorized descent to 9000 for crossing traffic at 10,000. Cga X was issued descent to 9000 and a left turn of approximately 120 degree as the aircraft was crossing the airspace boundary in an attempt to keep the aircraft from entering alb approach's airspace without handoff coordination completed. In making the turn the aircraft crossed the airspace boundary prior to a handoff being accepted. Landline coordination was effected with alb approach and cga X was issued a vector to resume the route and communication transferred to alb approach. I believe the situation occurred because I was temporarily distracted by the other handoff situation, coordination with another controller in my facility, and the various control actions necessary at the position. I believe that the situation could have been prevented by at least 2 ways. First, by myself having ensured the automated handoff was accepted by the time the aircraft crossed the center VOR, 10 mi from the boundary, and if not, getting landline handoff communication effected at that time. Second, the receiving controller, although not necessarily obligated by directive, could have made landline coordination prior to the aircraft almost reaching the airspace boundary if the automated handoff was not going to be accepted.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACFT ENTERED ADJACENT FAC AIRSPACE WITHOUT A HANDOFF.

Narrative: I WAS CTLING TFC ON W DEP RADAR IN BRADLEY APCH CTL (Y90) WHEN CGA X DEPARTED BDL ENRTE TO SCH. HE WAS VECTORED TO THE CTR VOR TO INTERCEPT THE ROUTE AND CLIMBED TO 10,000. AN AUTOMATED HANDOFF WAS INITIATED TO ALBANY APCH (ALB) APPROX 20 MI FROM THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY. ANOTHER TARGET WAS IN HANDOFF STATUS TO ME. WHILE I WAS COORDINATING WITH THAT CTLR TO TAKE THE HANDOFF AND MAKING OTHER CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO VARIOUS ACFT ON MY FREQ, CGA X WAS CONTINUING TOWARDS THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY. AS CGA X WAS APCHING THE BOUNDARY, ALB APCH CALLED VIA THE LANDLINE REQUESTING THE ALT OF CGA X AND WAS ADVISED 10,000. ALB APCH AUTHORIZED DSCNT TO 9000 FOR XING TFC AT 10,000. CGA X WAS ISSUED DSCNT TO 9000 AND A LEFT TURN OF APPROX 120 DEG AS THE ACFT WAS XING THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY IN AN ATTEMPT TO KEEP THE ACFT FROM ENTERING ALB APCH'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT HANDOFF COORD COMPLETED. IN MAKING THE TURN THE ACFT CROSSED THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY PRIOR TO A HANDOFF BEING ACCEPTED. LANDLINE COORD WAS EFFECTED WITH ALB APCH AND CGA X WAS ISSUED A VECTOR TO RESUME THE ROUTE AND COM TRANSFERRED TO ALB APCH. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE I WAS TEMPORARILY DISTRACTED BY THE OTHER HANDOFF SITUATION, COORD WITH ANOTHER CTLR IN MY FAC, AND THE VARIOUS CTL ACTIONS NECESSARY AT THE POSITION. I BELIEVE THAT THE SITUATION COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY AT LEAST 2 WAYS. FIRST, BY MYSELF HAVING ENSURED THE AUTOMATED HANDOFF WAS ACCEPTED BY THE TIME THE ACFT CROSSED THE CTR VOR, 10 MI FROM THE BOUNDARY, AND IF NOT, GETTING LANDLINE HANDOFF COM EFFECTED AT THAT TIME. SECOND, THE RECEIVING CTLR, ALTHOUGH NOT NECESSARILY OBLIGATED BY DIRECTIVE, COULD HAVE MADE LANDLINE COORD PRIOR TO THE ACFT ALMOST REACHING THE AIRSPACE BOUNDARY IF THE AUTOMATED HANDOFF WAS NOT GOING TO BE ACCEPTED.

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.