IFR aircraft not handed off to adjacent facility.

Attributes
ACN	129072
Time
Date	198911
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : bli
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	military facility : nuw tracon : sea
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 90 flight time total : 436 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	129072
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Facts: 1) pilot was on IFR flight plan boeing field to bellingham washington, navigating on V23. 2) pilot was communicating with sea departure controller. 3) when arriving in whidbey island arsa, pilot realized controller had not given him handoff instructions to ZSE or whidbey approach. 4) pilot called sea departure controller several times, finally receiving response, and advised him of situation. 5) controller instructed pilot to call whidbey approach. 6) whidbey controller stated she had been calling aircraft. 7) pilot handed off to vancouver approach control and flight to bellingham completed west/O incident. (Bellingham was IMC, above minimums.) suggestions: 1) this occurrence was not discussed in instrument training, or has pilot seen discussions in various books and articles. 2) it is suggested that training emphasize need for pilots to be aware of approximately positions where controllers should normally handoff, and notify controller if it appears that you have been forgotten.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: IFR ACFT NOT HANDED OFF TO ADJACENT FAC.

Narrative: FACTS: 1) PLT WAS ON IFR FLT PLAN BOEING FIELD TO BELLINGHAM WASHINGTON, NAVIGATING ON V23. 2) PLT WAS COMMUNICATING WITH SEA DEP CTLR. 3) WHEN ARRIVING IN WHIDBEY ISLAND ARSA, PLT REALIZED CTLR HAD NOT GIVEN HIM HDOF INSTRUCTIONS TO ZSE OR WHIDBEY APCH. 4) PLT CALLED SEA DEP CTLR SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY RECEIVING RESPONSE, AND ADVISED HIM OF SITUATION. 5) CTLR INSTRUCTED PLT TO CALL WHIDBEY APCH. 6) WHIDBEY CTLR STATED SHE HAD BEEN CALLING ACFT. 7) PLT HANDED OFF TO VANCOUVER APCH CTL AND FLT TO BELLINGHAM COMPLETED W/O INCIDENT. (BELLINGHAM WAS IMC, ABOVE MINIMUMS.) SUGGESTIONS: 1) THIS OCCURRENCE WAS NOT DISCUSSED IN INSTRUMENT TRNING, OR HAS PLT SEEN DISCUSSIONS IN VARIOUS BOOKS AND ARTICLES. 2) IT IS SUGGESTED THAT TRNING EMPHASIZE NEED FOR PLTS TO BE AWARE OF APPROX POSITIONS WHERE CTLRS SHOULD NORMALLY HDOF, AND NOTIFY CTLR IF IT APPEARS THAT YOU HAVE BEEN FORGOTTEN.

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.