Narrative:

Nga X at 17000 ft on a flight from pbi to ric shows a computer projected flight path through ZDC sector 27 and into ZDC sector 26. Aircraft is slightly south of course and is manually flashed to the sector the aircraft is about to enter, ZDC W26. ZJX shows the data tag flashing to ZDC W26 but the data tag is actually flashing to ZDC W27. The ZJX controller has no indication that the aircraft is being handed off to the wrong sector which could easily lead to airspace violations as well as aircraft conflictions. This is not a one time event. The FAA is aware of this problem but has not responded to it in any way. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that this problem still exists. A ucr has been filed and facility management concurs that it is a problem, but so far have not been successful in rectifying it. Reporter said that is not an isolated incident, but occurs frequently. When automated handoffs are made to the ZDC W26 liberty low sector, the handoffs actually go to the W27 sampson low sector instead, with no indication that the handoff was misdirected. The reporter stated that many controllers make a manual handoff instead of an automated to avoid any problems. The route is heavily traveled, so this condition happens often.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLAIMS THAT AUTOMATED RADAR HDOFS TO ZDC W26 ARE MISDIRECTED TO W27 SECTOR INSTEAD. THIS RPTR STATES THAT THIS IS A FREQUENT OCCURRENCE.

Narrative: NGA X AT 17000 FT ON A FLT FROM PBI TO RIC SHOWS A COMPUTER PROJECTED FLT PATH THROUGH ZDC SECTOR 27 AND INTO ZDC SECTOR 26. ACFT IS SLIGHTLY S OF COURSE AND IS MANUALLY FLASHED TO THE SECTOR THE ACFT IS ABOUT TO ENTER, ZDC W26. ZJX SHOWS THE DATA TAG FLASHING TO ZDC W26 BUT THE DATA TAG IS ACTUALLY FLASHING TO ZDC W27. THE ZJX CTLR HAS NO INDICATION THAT THE ACFT IS BEING HANDED OFF TO THE WRONG SECTOR WHICH COULD EASILY LEAD TO AIRSPACE VIOLATIONS AS WELL AS ACFT CONFLICTIONS. THIS IS NOT A ONE TIME EVENT. THE FAA IS AWARE OF THIS PROB BUT HAS NOT RESPONDED TO IT IN ANY WAY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT THIS PROB STILL EXISTS. A UCR HAS BEEN FILED AND FACILITY MGMNT CONCURS THAT IT IS A PROB, BUT SO FAR HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN RECTIFYING IT. RPTR SAID THAT IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, BUT OCCURS FREQUENTLY. WHEN AUTOMATED HDOFS ARE MADE TO THE ZDC W26 LIBERTY LOW SECTOR, THE HDOFS ACTUALLY GO TO THE W27 SAMPSON LOW SECTOR INSTEAD, WITH NO INDICATION THAT THE HDOF WAS MISDIRECTED. THE RPTR STATED THAT MANY CTLRS MAKE A MANUAL HDOF INSTEAD OF AN AUTOMATED TO AVOID ANY PROBS. THE RTE IS HEAVILY TRAVELED, SO THIS CONDITION HAPPENS OFTEN.

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.