Narrative:

Aircraft X entered whidbey approach control's (nuw NAS) airspace from the side at 8000 ft level without a pointout. He was landing pae (everett; wa) and handed off to sector 33 who controls pae approachs. Due to mountainous terrain; the aircraft was level at 8000 ft awaiting lower from sector 33 (who only owns to 5000 ft) when he cleared the mia. Nuw approach owns 6000 ft up to 9000 ft above sector 33's airspace. My airspace runs adjacent to both; surface to infinity. On this particular day sector 33 was being run on sector 03 because the physical scope for sector 33 was being used by seatac TRACON because of a power failure at the TRACON. It was an emergency set-up to keep aircraft moving. Therefore; aircraft X had to physically be handed off to sector 03 (not 33) and use sector 03's frequency. This; in addition to 8 extra bodies and voices in the room; created a huge distraction. Pointing out the aircraft landing at pae to nuw approach is standard procedure. However; this problem (which has happened before) could be avoided by making a handoff to nuw and requiring them to work the aircraft through their airspace. Also; if a controller sees a limited target in their airspace; they should be required to investigate and ask sectors around them who it is; not just watch it fly through and report it to the supervisor.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZSE CTLR EXPERIENCED OPDEV AT 8000 FT WHEN FAILING TO ENSURE ADJACENT AIRSPACE CTLR HAD BEEN GIVEN A TIMELY AND PROPER HDOF.

Narrative: ACFT X ENTERED WHIDBEY APCH CTL'S (NUW NAS) AIRSPACE FROM THE SIDE AT 8000 FT LEVEL WITHOUT A POINTOUT. HE WAS LNDG PAE (EVERETT; WA) AND HANDED OFF TO SECTOR 33 WHO CTLS PAE APCHS. DUE TO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN; THE ACFT WAS LEVEL AT 8000 FT AWAITING LOWER FROM SECTOR 33 (WHO ONLY OWNS TO 5000 FT) WHEN HE CLRED THE MIA. NUW APCH OWNS 6000 FT UP TO 9000 FT ABOVE SECTOR 33'S AIRSPACE. MY AIRSPACE RUNS ADJACENT TO BOTH; SURFACE TO INFINITY. ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY SECTOR 33 WAS BEING RUN ON SECTOR 03 BECAUSE THE PHYSICAL SCOPE FOR SECTOR 33 WAS BEING USED BY SEATAC TRACON BECAUSE OF A PWR FAILURE AT THE TRACON. IT WAS AN EMER SET-UP TO KEEP ACFT MOVING. THEREFORE; ACFT X HAD TO PHYSICALLY BE HANDED OFF TO SECTOR 03 (NOT 33) AND USE SECTOR 03'S FREQ. THIS; IN ADDITION TO 8 EXTRA BODIES AND VOICES IN THE ROOM; CREATED A HUGE DISTR. POINTING OUT THE ACFT LNDG AT PAE TO NUW APCH IS STANDARD PROC. HOWEVER; THIS PROB (WHICH HAS HAPPENED BEFORE) COULD BE AVOIDED BY MAKING A HDOF TO NUW AND REQUIRING THEM TO WORK THE ACFT THROUGH THEIR AIRSPACE. ALSO; IF A CTLR SEES A LIMITED TARGET IN THEIR AIRSPACE; THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO INVESTIGATE AND ASK SECTORS AROUND THEM WHO IT IS; NOT JUST WATCH IT FLY THROUGH AND RPT IT TO THE SUPVR.

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.