Narrative:

I took handoff on a wilmington; de; arrival (ilg) at FL410. I normally have the airport displayed in the 4TH line of the data block; but a speed was displayed instead for this particular aircraft. The sector 2 below mine is required to hand off to the next controller ilg arrivals at FL230. When the controller I was attempting to hand off the LJ60 to notified me he could not accept that aircraft; he was 10 mi from the boundary; forcing me to vector that aircraft wbound into heavy traffic for his descent. The sector below mine was slow in taking the handoff of the LJ60; and due to that aircraft's speed; he caught up with the B737 before the conflict alert activated. Also; the frequency is very bad at that sector; and the LJ60 did not descend when I first issued the clearance. There would have been no problem with this aircraft if ilg arrs on J42 were restr to cross 15 mi west of montebello at or below FL290. The previous sector is required to descend phl arrs to FL330 at that point; and they are allowed to cross the same point ilg arrs have to be at FL230 at FL290. However; there is no SOP for ilg arrs between my sector and the previous sector. Until there is; the situation that happened to me could happen to others very easily.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL340 WHEN A FAILED HDOF ATTEMPT RESULTED IN AN ACFT OVERTAKE.

Narrative: I TOOK HDOF ON A WILMINGTON; DE; ARR (ILG) AT FL410. I NORMALLY HAVE THE ARPT DISPLAYED IN THE 4TH LINE OF THE DATA BLOCK; BUT A SPD WAS DISPLAYED INSTEAD FOR THIS PARTICULAR ACFT. THE SECTOR 2 BELOW MINE IS REQUIRED TO HAND OFF TO THE NEXT CTLR ILG ARRIVALS AT FL230. WHEN THE CTLR I WAS ATTEMPTING TO HAND OFF THE LJ60 TO NOTIFIED ME HE COULD NOT ACCEPT THAT ACFT; HE WAS 10 MI FROM THE BOUNDARY; FORCING ME TO VECTOR THAT ACFT WBOUND INTO HVY TFC FOR HIS DSCNT. THE SECTOR BELOW MINE WAS SLOW IN TAKING THE HDOF OF THE LJ60; AND DUE TO THAT ACFT'S SPD; HE CAUGHT UP WITH THE B737 BEFORE THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. ALSO; THE FREQ IS VERY BAD AT THAT SECTOR; AND THE LJ60 DID NOT DSND WHEN I FIRST ISSUED THE CLRNC. THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROB WITH THIS ACFT IF ILG ARRS ON J42 WERE RESTR TO CROSS 15 MI W OF MONTEBELLO AT OR BELOW FL290. THE PREVIOUS SECTOR IS REQUIRED TO DSND PHL ARRS TO FL330 AT THAT POINT; AND THEY ARE ALLOWED TO CROSS THE SAME POINT ILG ARRS HAVE TO BE AT FL230 AT FL290. HOWEVER; THERE IS NO SOP FOR ILG ARRS BTWN MY SECTOR AND THE PREVIOUS SECTOR. UNTIL THERE IS; THE SITUATION THAT HAPPENED TO ME COULD HAPPEN TO OTHERS VERY EASILY.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.