Narrative:

I was working the south sector with approximately 7 aircraft when I realized that 1 of my aircraft, air carrier X, entered chicago center (ZAU) airspace without being handed off. I immediately began an automated handoff (flashed him at ZAU) and simultaneously attempted to call ZAU on the landline. When ZAU answered the landline, I asked if they had radar contact with air carrier X. They said, no. What altitude is air carrier X at?' while ZAU was asking me this question, I noticed another target at 6000 MSL in the immediate vicinity of air carrier X. I told ZAU '6000', came off the landline and issued traffic to air carrier X, 'traffic 12 O'clock also at 6000', got back off the line with ZAU to hear them tell me to turn air carrier X to a 180 heading. I came back off the line with ZAU and issued air carrier X the heading. I went back on the landline with ZAU, completed a handoff and transferred communication to ZAU. To my knowledge, neither air carrier X, nor small aircraft Y ever saw each other. The main cause of this incident was a lack of scanning on my part. Had I been practicing a good scan technique, I would have noticed air carrier X still on my tag and handed him off sooner. ZAU does not get a full data block of information on their radar until we start an automated handoff. If they had seen a full data block, it is highly possible that they could have warned me that air carrier X was approaching their airspace (no excuse however). Also, I was approaching 1 1/2 hours on position. During the first 30 mins of my session, I worked an extremely busy departure rush. I feel I may have been in a relaxed state knowing that the busy traffic was behind me and a break was almost here.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTHORIZED UNCOORD AIRSPACE ENTRY HAD LTSS FROM SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE S SECTOR WITH APPROX 7 ACFT WHEN I REALIZED THAT 1 OF MY ACFT, ACR X, ENTERED CHICAGO CENTER (ZAU) AIRSPACE WITHOUT BEING HANDED OFF. I IMMEDIATELY BEGAN AN AUTOMATED HDOF (FLASHED HIM AT ZAU) AND SIMULTANEOUSLY ATTEMPTED TO CALL ZAU ON THE LANDLINE. WHEN ZAU ANSWERED THE LANDLINE, I ASKED IF THEY HAD RADAR CONTACT WITH ACR X. THEY SAID, NO. WHAT ALT IS ACR X AT?' WHILE ZAU WAS ASKING ME THIS QUESTION, I NOTICED ANOTHER TARGET AT 6000 MSL IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY OF ACR X. I TOLD ZAU '6000', CAME OFF THE LANDLINE AND ISSUED TFC TO ACR X, 'TFC 12 O'CLOCK ALSO AT 6000', GOT BACK OFF THE LINE WITH ZAU TO HEAR THEM TELL ME TO TURN ACR X TO A 180 HDG. I CAME BACK OFF THE LINE WITH ZAU AND ISSUED ACR X THE HDG. I WENT BACK ON THE LANDLINE WITH ZAU, COMPLETED A HDOF AND TRANSFERRED COM TO ZAU. TO MY KNOWLEDGE, NEITHER ACR X, NOR SMA Y EVER SAW EACH OTHER. THE MAIN CAUSE OF THIS INCIDENT WAS A LACK OF SCANNING ON MY PART. HAD I BEEN PRACTICING A GOOD SCAN TECHNIQUE, I WOULD HAVE NOTICED ACR X STILL ON MY TAG AND HANDED HIM OFF SOONER. ZAU DOES NOT GET A FULL DATA BLOCK OF INFO ON THEIR RADAR UNTIL WE START AN AUTOMATED HDOF. IF THEY HAD SEEN A FULL DATA BLOCK, IT IS HIGHLY POSSIBLE THAT THEY COULD HAVE WARNED ME THAT ACR X WAS APCHING THEIR AIRSPACE (NO EXCUSE HOWEVER). ALSO, I WAS APCHING 1 1/2 HRS ON POS. DURING THE FIRST 30 MINS OF MY SESSION, I WORKED AN EXTREMELY BUSY DEP RUSH. I FEEL I MAY HAVE BEEN IN A RELAXED STATE KNOWING THAT THE BUSY TFC WAS BEHIND ME AND A BREAK WAS ALMOST HERE.

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.