ARTCC radar controller allowed traffic to fly up to adjacent sector's boundary.

Attributes
ACN	406542
Time
Date	199806
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : etg
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 34000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob tower : lyh
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 12
ASRS Report	406542
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

The error occurred in the fkl sector. A sector in the positive control area a from FL330 and above. An aircraft inbound to roc was northbound leaving FL410 for FL350. By LOA he was supposed to enter fkl airspace at or above FL330. The roc flight is then supposed to be descended to FL280 and handed off to area vii to fkl's north. The descent to FL280 occurs in the bki airspace (underlies fkl). Aircraft 1 was eastbound at FL330. The roc plane was north at FL330 switched to bki frequency. The plane never checked on frequency and when bki controller issued descent, did not descend for several moments. Because of this I turned and climbed aircraft 1 to provide more time and room for roc plane descent. Aircraft 1 was not 'pointed out' to jhw sector to the north. Aircraft 1 was turned back direct etg prior to reaching jhw/fkl boundary. However, his turn took him to the boundary.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR ALLOWED TFC TO FLY UP TO ADJACENT SECTOR'S BOUNDARY.

Narrative: THE ERROR OCCURRED IN THE FKL SECTOR. A SECTOR IN THE PCA A FROM FL330 AND ABOVE. AN ACFT INBOUND TO ROC WAS NBOUND LEAVING FL410 FOR FL350. BY LOA HE WAS SUPPOSED TO ENTER FKL AIRSPACE AT OR ABOVE FL330. THE ROC FLT IS THEN SUPPOSED TO BE DSNDED TO FL280 AND HANDED OFF TO AREA VII TO FKL'S N. THE DSCNT TO FL280 OCCURS IN THE BKI AIRSPACE (UNDERLIES FKL). ACFT 1 WAS EBOUND AT FL330. THE ROC PLANE WAS N AT FL330 SWITCHED TO BKI FREQ. THE PLANE NEVER CHKED ON FREQ AND WHEN BKI CTLR ISSUED DSCNT, DID NOT DSND FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS. BECAUSE OF THIS I TURNED AND CLBED ACFT 1 TO PROVIDE MORE TIME AND ROOM FOR ROC PLANE DSCNT. ACFT 1 WAS NOT 'POINTED OUT' TO JHW SECTOR TO THE N. ACFT 1 WAS TURNED BACK DIRECT ETG PRIOR TO REACHING JHW/FKL BOUNDARY. HOWEVER, HIS TURN TOOK HIM TO THE BOUNDARY.

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.