Air carrier X unauthorized penetration of airspace.

Attributes
ACN	298724
Time
Date	199503
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : eat
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zse
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	F28 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	298724
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure other

Narrative:

I was a non radar controller working a high altitude sector (FL240 and above). The sector west of mine has airspace from the ground to FL999. The sector west of mine handed off a FK28 to the low level sector below mine, the FK28 was at FL230 but requested FL250. The west sector offered my sector a pointout but due to traffic I said radar contact. The west sector 'stole' the handoff back from the sector below mine, climbed the FK28 to FL250 and shipped the aircraft to the low altitude sector. As best as I can tell the low altitude did not see the west sector take back the handoff. I called the west sector and advised we had not talked to the FK28. They said they shipped him to me (high sector). We called in the blind for the FK28 but got no answers. Meanwhile the FK28 is being worked by the lower sector. They thought that the west sector had pointed out the FK28 and that they had control for lower. When I saw 130 appear in the data block after we handed off to the low sector, I called them and asked if they were talking to the FK28 and they said yes I gave them control. The west sector should have told the low sector they 'stole' the handoff back and then put the aircraft on the right frequency. The low sector should not have assumed that the west sector had done a pointout. Lack of data block control was a big tip that was missed. The high sector should have asked low sooner if they had the FK28. Communication breakdown at its best.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X UNAUTH PENETRATION OF AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS A NON RADAR CTLR WORKING A HIGH ALT SECTOR (FL240 AND ABOVE). THE SECTOR W OF MINE HAS AIRSPACE FROM THE GND TO FL999. THE SECTOR W OF MINE HANDED OFF A FK28 TO THE LOW LEVEL SECTOR BELOW MINE, THE FK28 WAS AT FL230 BUT REQUESTED FL250. THE W SECTOR OFFERED MY SECTOR A POINTOUT BUT DUE TO TFC I SAID RADAR CONTACT. THE W SECTOR 'STOLE' THE HDOF BACK FROM THE SECTOR BELOW MINE, CLBED THE FK28 TO FL250 AND SHIPPED THE ACFT TO THE LOW ALT SECTOR. AS BEST AS I CAN TELL THE LOW ALT DID NOT SEE THE W SECTOR TAKE BACK THE HDOF. I CALLED THE W SECTOR AND ADVISED WE HAD NOT TALKED TO THE FK28. THEY SAID THEY SHIPPED HIM TO ME (HIGH SECTOR). WE CALLED IN THE BLIND FOR THE FK28 BUT GOT NO ANSWERS. MEANWHILE THE FK28 IS BEING WORKED BY THE LOWER SECTOR. THEY THOUGHT THAT THE W SECTOR HAD POINTED OUT THE FK28 AND THAT THEY HAD CTL FOR LOWER. WHEN I SAW 130 APPEAR IN THE DATA BLOCK AFTER WE HANDED OFF TO THE LOW SECTOR, I CALLED THEM AND ASKED IF THEY WERE TALKING TO THE FK28 AND THEY SAID YES I GAVE THEM CTL. THE W SECTOR SHOULD HAVE TOLD THE LOW SECTOR THEY 'STOLE' THE HDOF BACK AND THEN PUT THE ACFT ON THE RIGHT FREQ. THE LOW SECTOR SHOULD NOT HAVE ASSUMED THAT THE W SECTOR HAD DONE A POINTOUT. LACK OF DATA BLOCK CTL WAS A BIG TIP THAT WAS MISSED. THE HIGH SECTOR SHOULD HAVE ASKED LOW SOONER IF THEY HAD THE FK28. COM BREAKDOWN AT ITS BEST.

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.