Narrative:

I was working several aircraft; specifically holding 4 air carrier's for ewr; spacing jfk traffic; spacing teb/mmu traffic; in addition to other traffic traversing my sector. ZNY advised us to clear ewr traffic out of the hold 25 NM in trail. When the first aircraft turned on course; some sort of computer problem prevented an automated handoff. My d-side called ZNY to make a manual handoff and flight X went on its way. We then tried to automatic-handoff aircraft Y with the same results. However; ZNY said they would not accept any more manual handoffs due to workload. We asked if we should hold the aircraft. ZNY replied that they would get back to us in a second. We called a second time; no response. As aircraft Y approached the boundary; ZNY finally said; 'can't talk now!' aircraft Y was level at FL350. Traffic was present all around aircraft Y -- 2 aircraft at 9 O'clock position; 1 aircraft at 3 O'clock position; all at FL350 heading east with aircraft Y. Therefore; turns were impossible. Traffic was also holding at FL340; and crossing traffic was at FL360. My only option was to wait until traffic cleared. When traffic did clear; I turned aircraft Y west to re-enter my sector. This airspace violation happened because of a computer problem nobody can explain; and because ZNY is able to refuse flts and ignore coordination calls; creating a very unsafe situation. Sadly; these incidents are not rare.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB CTLR DESCRIBED AIRSPACE INTRUSION WHEN EXITING HOLDING; WITH ZNY REFUSING TO ANSWER LANDLINE AND TURNS NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE OF TFC.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING SEVERAL ACFT; SPECIFICALLY HOLDING 4 ACR'S FOR EWR; SPACING JFK TFC; SPACING TEB/MMU TFC; IN ADDITION TO OTHER TFC TRAVERSING MY SECTOR. ZNY ADVISED US TO CLR EWR TFC OUT OF THE HOLD 25 NM IN TRAIL. WHEN THE FIRST ACFT TURNED ON COURSE; SOME SORT OF COMPUTER PROB PREVENTED AN AUTOMATED HDOF. MY D-SIDE CALLED ZNY TO MAKE A MANUAL HDOF AND FLT X WENT ON ITS WAY. WE THEN TRIED TO AUTO-HDOF ACFT Y WITH THE SAME RESULTS. HOWEVER; ZNY SAID THEY WOULD NOT ACCEPT ANY MORE MANUAL HDOFS DUE TO WORKLOAD. WE ASKED IF WE SHOULD HOLD THE ACFT. ZNY REPLIED THAT THEY WOULD GET BACK TO US IN A SECOND. WE CALLED A SECOND TIME; NO RESPONSE. AS ACFT Y APCHED THE BOUNDARY; ZNY FINALLY SAID; 'CAN'T TALK NOW!' ACFT Y WAS LEVEL AT FL350. TFC WAS PRESENT ALL AROUND ACFT Y -- 2 ACFT AT 9 O'CLOCK POS; 1 ACFT AT 3 O'CLOCK POS; ALL AT FL350 HEADING E WITH ACFT Y. THEREFORE; TURNS WERE IMPOSSIBLE. TFC WAS ALSO HOLDING AT FL340; AND XING TFC WAS AT FL360. MY ONLY OPTION WAS TO WAIT UNTIL TFC CLRED. WHEN TFC DID CLR; I TURNED ACFT Y W TO RE-ENTER MY SECTOR. THIS AIRSPACE VIOLATION HAPPENED BECAUSE OF A COMPUTER PROB NOBODY CAN EXPLAIN; AND BECAUSE ZNY IS ABLE TO REFUSE FLTS AND IGNORE COORD CALLS; CREATING A VERY UNSAFE SITUATION. SADLY; THESE INCIDENTS ARE NOT RARE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.