Narrative:

I was working the 05/06 hopkins/briggs radar sectors at the time of this event. I took the hand off on the mooney about 30 NM east of the youngstown (yng VOR) level at 140 ft direct to their destination (pdk). The aircraft was approximately a mile and a half inside the clarion sector (50). This also put the mooney about a mile and a half outside the youngstown sector (75). The aircraft route of flight from that point would have never entered my airspace at the hopkins/briggs sectors; but was being handed off to me. I took the hand off on the mooney under the impression that the aircraft had been handed off to pittsburgh approach and pittsburgh approach didn't want to work the aircraft and handed it off to me. When the mooney was about 5 NM west of the montour (mmj VOR) pittsburgh approach called me to ask if I was talking to the mooney. I told the controller that I was talking to the aircraft and it was at that time they notified me that the aircraft had never been handed off or pointed out to them. I immediately started a hand off on the mooney to pittsburgh approach and asked the controller if there was anything they needed me to do before I switch the mooney to pittsburgh approach. They told me the everything was ok and to just transfer communication of the mooney to their frequency. I was never aware the mooney was not handed off to pittsburgh approach. Recommendation; make sure that the aircraft is handed off to and talking to the proper sector which corresponds to the aircraft route of flight. Notify the sectors adjacent to me that the aircraft will never enter my airspace and make sure they are handing the aircraft of to the proper sector(s)/approach control airspace.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB Controller described a questionable handoff process to PIT TRACON. The aircraft involved was routed near the boarders of three sectors adding to the uncertainty of this handoff.

Narrative: I was working the 05/06 Hopkins/Briggs RADAR Sectors at the time of this event. I took the hand off on the Mooney about 30 NM east of the Youngstown (YNG VOR) level at 140 FT direct to their destination (PDK). The aircraft was approximately a mile and a half inside the Clarion Sector (50). This also put the Mooney about a mile and a half outside the Youngstown Sector (75). The aircraft route of flight from that point would have never entered my airspace at the Hopkins/Briggs Sectors; but was being handed off to me. I took the hand off on the Mooney under the impression that the aircraft had been handed off to Pittsburgh Approach and Pittsburgh Approach didn't want to work the aircraft and handed it off to me. When the Mooney was about 5 NM west of the Montour (MMJ VOR) Pittsburgh Approach called me to ask if I was talking to the Mooney. I told the Controller that I was talking to the aircraft and it was at that time they notified me that the aircraft had never been handed off or pointed out to them. I immediately started a hand off on the Mooney to Pittsburgh Approach and asked the Controller if there was anything they needed me to do before I switch the Mooney to Pittsburgh Approach. They told me the everything was OK and to just transfer communication of the Mooney to their frequency. I was never aware the Mooney was not handed off to Pittsburgh Approach. Recommendation; make sure that the aircraft is handed off to and talking to the proper sector which corresponds to the aircraft route of flight. Notify the sectors adjacent to me that the aircraft will never enter my airspace and make sure they are handing the aircraft of to the proper sector(s)/Approach Control airspace.

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.