Cos TRACON controller described unauthorized entry into adjacent airspace; claiming stored data info...

Narrative:

I accepted a manual handoff on a flight of 2 military jets from D01 (denver approach) publication (pueblo sector) returning to bkf. I was somewhat busy with numerous other aircraft and a persistent stuck mike. The coordination of the transferring controller indicated that the flight was IFR though the aircraft was squawking a D01 local VFR code. The tab list included a call sign; so I initiated control of the data tag by slewing to the target. I could have assigned the correct code to the jets; but his transponder had been intermittent and I knew it would be faster to tag him up using the slew. I then acknowledged the flashing beacon code indicating a discrepancy between assigned and expected codes. Because the aircraft was still on the D01 VFR code; D01 south departure sector did not have a data block on the aircraft. As the flight approached the airspace boundary; I observed that the data block was on a 'C' position symbol and I assumed that it had handed off to D01. The aircraft entered D01 airspace without handoff or coordination.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: COS TRACON Controller described unauthorized entry into adjacent airspace; claiming stored data information on the military flight as well as handoff symbology caused an assumption that a handoff had been accomplished.

Narrative: I accepted a manual handoff on a flight of 2 military jets from D01 (Denver Approach) publication (Pueblo Sector) returning to BKF. I was somewhat busy with numerous other aircraft and a persistent stuck mike. The coordination of the transferring Controller indicated that the flight was IFR though the aircraft was squawking a D01 local VFR code. The tab list included a call sign; so I initiated control of the data tag by slewing to the target. I could have assigned the correct code to the jets; but his transponder had been intermittent and I knew it would be faster to tag him up using the slew. I then acknowledged the flashing beacon code indicating a discrepancy between assigned and expected codes. Because the aircraft was still on the D01 VFR code; D01 South Departure sector did not have a data block on the aircraft. As the flight approached the airspace boundary; I observed that the data block was on a 'C' position symbol and I assumed that it had handed off to D01. The aircraft entered D01 airspace without handoff or coordination.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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	827554
Time
Date	200903
Local Time Of Day	1201-1800
Place
Locale Reference	BRK.VORTAC
State Reference	CO
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Fighter
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Approach
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Experience	Air Traffic Control Radar 21 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 16
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy

Cos TRACON controller described unauthorized entry into adjacent airspace; claiming stored data information on the military flight as well as handoff symbology caused an assumption that a handoff had been accomplished.