Narrative:

I was working sector 9 (cbf high) in ZDV. I handed air carrier X to sector 15, a wrong sector. Then a little later, after making certain that sector 15 did in fact have the handoff, I shipped air carrier X to sector 15, as would be the normal procedure. The problem is, I was supposed to hand off to sector 16 and wait to see if they handed off to sector 15 or not. When I observed sector 15 with the handoff, I thought sector 16 had handed to sector 15. When in fact I, sector 9, had gone to sector 15. Sector 9 has a very difficult time knowing the history of the data block and depending on how quickly sector 15 accepts the handoff, sector 9 has almost no way to know that they have made a mistake. Our flash-through procedure for den landing traffic sets the sector 9 controller up for an error, and the consequences could be very serious. I entered sector 16's airspace without a handoff, and what's worse -- due to our procedures, I accidentally gave away control in another person's high altitude sector 16 to low altitude sector 15. When air carrier X left my airspace, everything seemed normal, but in fact I had created a very dangerous situation and I could not tell anything was wrong.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDV CTLR DOES NOT FOLLOW AUTOMATED INFO XFER PROCS CORRECTLY RESULTING IN AN OPDEV.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SECTOR 9 (CBF HIGH) IN ZDV. I HANDED ACR X TO SECTOR 15, A WRONG SECTOR. THEN A LITTLE LATER, AFTER MAKING CERTAIN THAT SECTOR 15 DID IN FACT HAVE THE HDOF, I SHIPPED ACR X TO SECTOR 15, AS WOULD BE THE NORMAL PROC. THE PROB IS, I WAS SUPPOSED TO HAND OFF TO SECTOR 16 AND WAIT TO SEE IF THEY HANDED OFF TO SECTOR 15 OR NOT. WHEN I OBSERVED SECTOR 15 WITH THE HDOF, I THOUGHT SECTOR 16 HAD HANDED TO SECTOR 15. WHEN IN FACT I, SECTOR 9, HAD GONE TO SECTOR 15. SECTOR 9 HAS A VERY DIFFICULT TIME KNOWING THE HISTORY OF THE DATA BLOCK AND DEPENDING ON HOW QUICKLY SECTOR 15 ACCEPTS THE HDOF, SECTOR 9 HAS ALMOST NO WAY TO KNOW THAT THEY HAVE MADE A MISTAKE. OUR FLASH-THROUGH PROC FOR DEN LNDG TFC SETS THE SECTOR 9 CTLR UP FOR AN ERROR, AND THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE VERY SERIOUS. I ENTERED SECTOR 16'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT A HDOF, AND WHAT'S WORSE -- DUE TO OUR PROCS, I ACCIDENTALLY GAVE AWAY CTL IN ANOTHER PERSON'S HIGH ALT SECTOR 16 TO LOW ALT SECTOR 15. WHEN ACR X LEFT MY AIRSPACE, EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL, BUT IN FACT I HAD CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SIT AND I COULD NOT TELL ANYTHING WAS WRONG.

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.