ZFW controller described operational deviation during the combining of sectors process; resulting in...

Narrative:

I was working air carrier X inbound to iah. Started the handoff 6 mins from aex sector H42 and continued to work my sector. Continued to scan; ship aircraft to the right sector; take handoffs and inform aircraft about WX they needed to deviate around. During this process I realized that air carrier X was getting close to the aex sector boundary so I called on the handoff of air carrier X not once but twice and received no answer. At this point I came off the line and instructed the air carrier X to turn 50 degrees to the right to exit aex airspace. After I turned the air carrier X I went back to the shout line and called aex sector again on the handoff 3 more times and no answer. A couple of seconds later aex sector H42 takes the handoff but still never answers the line. From the research that was done after the deviation when I flashed air carrier X to the aex sector they were in the process of combining up with their ultrahigh sector and their low sector so they never took the handoff on the aircraft and when they combined up they never saw the air carrier X coming into their space because the aircraft was not flashing at the sector they combined up on; he was flashing at the sector that previously owned the airspace that air carrier X was going to enter. There was no notice given that aex; esf; and polk low sectors were combining up to 1 sector. I also have concerns about why no controller ever picked up the shout line when over 6 calls were directed at that sector along with the call sign of the aircraft air carrier X. I was doing my job as a controller directing and guiding aircraft and in this case handing off aircraft to what I thought was the right sector; but without the knowledge to know that these sectors combined at the same time I handed off an aircraft; and the fact that neither I or my d-side could get anyone at any of these sectors to pick up the shout line. I was left out in the dark like a sitting duck. I've worked several yrs without a mark on my record and then this happens. This type of situation should be addressed before it happens again.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZFW CTLR DESCRIBED OPDEV DURING THE COMBINING OF SECTORS PROCESS; RESULTING IN A HDOF NOT BEING OBSERVED ON THE RECEIVING CTLR'S DISPLAY.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ACR X INBOUND TO IAH. STARTED THE HDOF 6 MINS FROM AEX SECTOR H42 AND CONTINUED TO WORK MY SECTOR. CONTINUED TO SCAN; SHIP ACFT TO THE R SECTOR; TAKE HANDOFFS AND INFORM ACFT ABOUT WX THEY NEEDED TO DEVIATE AROUND. DURING THIS PROCESS I REALIZED THAT ACR X WAS GETTING CLOSE TO THE AEX SECTOR BOUNDARY SO I CALLED ON THE HDOF OF ACR X NOT ONCE BUT TWICE AND RECEIVED NO ANSWER. AT THIS POINT I CAME OFF THE LINE AND INSTRUCTED THE ACR X TO TURN 50 DEGS TO THE R TO EXIT AEX AIRSPACE. AFTER I TURNED THE ACR X I WENT BACK TO THE SHOUT LINE AND CALLED AEX SECTOR AGAIN ON THE HDOF 3 MORE TIMES AND NO ANSWER. A COUPLE OF SECONDS LATER AEX SECTOR H42 TAKES THE HDOF BUT STILL NEVER ANSWERS THE LINE. FROM THE RESEARCH THAT WAS DONE AFTER THE DEV WHEN I FLASHED ACR X TO THE AEX SECTOR THEY WERE IN THE PROCESS OF COMBINING UP WITH THEIR ULTRAHIGH SECTOR AND THEIR LOW SECTOR SO THEY NEVER TOOK THE HDOF ON THE ACFT AND WHEN THEY COMBINED UP THEY NEVER SAW THE ACR X COMING INTO THEIR SPACE BECAUSE THE ACFT WAS NOT FLASHING AT THE SECTOR THEY COMBINED UP ON; HE WAS FLASHING AT THE SECTOR THAT PREVIOUSLY OWNED THE AIRSPACE THAT ACR X WAS GOING TO ENTER. THERE WAS NO NOTICE GIVEN THAT AEX; ESF; AND POLK LOW SECTORS WERE COMBINING UP TO 1 SECTOR. I ALSO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT WHY NO CTLR EVER PICKED UP THE SHOUT LINE WHEN OVER 6 CALLS WERE DIRECTED AT THAT SECTOR ALONG WITH THE CALL SIGN OF THE ACFT ACR X. I WAS DOING MY JOB AS A CTLR DIRECTING AND GUIDING ACFT AND IN THIS CASE HANDING OFF ACFT TO WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE RIGHT SECTOR; BUT WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE TO KNOW THAT THESE SECTORS COMBINED AT THE SAME TIME I HANDED OFF AN ACFT; AND THE FACT THAT NEITHER I OR MY D-SIDE COULD GET ANYONE AT ANY OF THESE SECTORS TO PICK UP THE SHOUT LINE. I WAS LEFT OUT IN THE DARK LIKE A SITTING DUCK. I'VE WORKED SEVERAL YRS WITHOUT A MARK ON MY RECORD AND THEN THIS HAPPENS. THIS TYPE OF SITUATION SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BEFORE IT HAPPENS AGAIN.

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.

Attributes
ACN	801995
Time
Date	200808
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : swb.vor
State Reference	LA
Altitude	msl single value : 32000
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : handoff position controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9.5
ASRS Report	801995
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

ZFW controller described operational deviation during the combining of sectors process; resulting in a handoff not being observed on the receiving controller's display.