Narrative:

I was working east approach/departure control at evv TRACON. I released small transport X off of the owensboro, ky airport. His destination was bna. He climbed and leveled off at 9000'. I thought I had completed an automated radar handoff to ZME, and so after the radar target crossed the boundary I dropped the data block. A while later the pilot requested a lower altitude. Apparently the flight was nearing bna. At this point, I figured that I had forgotten to instruct the pilot to contact ZME, but that I had still completed the handoff. I told the pilot to contact ZME. ZME then called, apparently after the pilot contacted them, and told me that they had never received a handoff on this flight and that they were now in radar contact with him. ZME indicated that this flight may have also encroached on bna's airspace. I believe greater diligence on my part would have prevented this situation. It might be helpful if there was equipment that automatically initiated a handoff when a flight approachs an airspace boundary. I believe centers have such equipment. Also, it may be helpful if IFR charts and sectional charts have airspace boundaries depicted. This would help IFR pilots recognize when they're on the wrong frequency and it would help VFR pilots recognize who they may contact for traffic advisories. However, it may cause problems when ATC is using combined sectors.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR SMT NOT HANDED OFF TO ARTCC FLIES THROUGH ARTCC AIRSPACE AND INTO APCH CTL AIRSPACE BEFORE FREQ CHANGE MADE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING E APCH/DEP CTL AT EVV TRACON. I RELEASED SMT X OFF OF THE OWENSBORO, KY ARPT. HIS DEST WAS BNA. HE CLBED AND LEVELED OFF AT 9000'. I THOUGHT I HAD COMPLETED AN AUTOMATED RADAR HDOF TO ZME, AND SO AFTER THE RADAR TARGET CROSSED THE BOUNDARY I DROPPED THE DATA BLOCK. A WHILE LATER THE PLT REQUESTED A LOWER ALT. APPARENTLY THE FLT WAS NEARING BNA. AT THIS POINT, I FIGURED THAT I HAD FORGOTTEN TO INSTRUCT THE PLT TO CONTACT ZME, BUT THAT I HAD STILL COMPLETED THE HDOF. I TOLD THE PLT TO CONTACT ZME. ZME THEN CALLED, APPARENTLY AFTER THE PLT CONTACTED THEM, AND TOLD ME THAT THEY HAD NEVER RECEIVED A HDOF ON THIS FLT AND THAT THEY WERE NOW IN RADAR CONTACT WITH HIM. ZME INDICATED THAT THIS FLT MAY HAVE ALSO ENCROACHED ON BNA'S AIRSPACE. I BELIEVE GREATER DILIGENCE ON MY PART WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS SITUATION. IT MIGHT BE HELPFUL IF THERE WAS EQUIPMENT THAT AUTOMATICALLY INITIATED A HDOF WHEN A FLT APCHS AN AIRSPACE BOUNDARY. I BELIEVE CENTERS HAVE SUCH EQUIPMENT. ALSO, IT MAY BE HELPFUL IF IFR CHARTS AND SECTIONAL CHARTS HAVE AIRSPACE BOUNDARIES DEPICTED. THIS WOULD HELP IFR PLTS RECOGNIZE WHEN THEY'RE ON THE WRONG FREQ AND IT WOULD HELP VFR PLTS RECOGNIZE WHO THEY MAY CONTACT FOR TFC ADVISORIES. HOWEVER, IT MAY CAUSE PROBS WHEN ATC IS USING COMBINED SECTORS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.