Narrative:

An automated handoff was received by alb approach from the montpelier, saranac sector of bos center on small aircraft X north of cambridge VOR at 8000'. The aircraft was flight planned cam V72 alb V449 dny, which takes it through 2 sectors of alb approach on a 120 NM line through our airspace. Some time after the handoff, the associated tag with the aircraft dropped for unknown reasons. There was no communication with the aircraft until the pilot requested a read out when he was approximately 15 north of dny inside syracuse sector's airspace. He had not been handed off. About the same time syr sector called to see if we were talking to the aircraft and at that time we instructed the pilot to change to bos center. Contributing factors. This was an extremely busy period. Both controllers had a 10-12 aircraft load constantly through the hour. Due to the high volume of landing aircraft, more attention was being paid to sequencing arrs than to the outer boundaries. Also, the last sector the aircraft went through had a newly checked out developmental working. Suggestions. With traffic volumes in the mid to high 60's per hour, you need more than just 2 people working. A third scope should be mandatory along with someone to coordination with center and other facilities. Also, if aircraft that were just about to drop out of the coast list flashed the last 30 second, you would have warning prior to them dropping.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMALL ACFT WENT THROUGH ALB TRACON AIRSPACE FOR APPROX 100 MI WITHOUT BEING TRACKED. UNCOORD PENETRATION INTO SYR SECTOR OF ZBW AREA. OPERATIONAL DEVIATION.

Narrative: AN AUTOMATED HDOF WAS RECEIVED BY ALB APCH FROM THE MONTPELIER, SARANAC SECTOR OF BOS CENTER ON SMALL ACFT X N OF CAMBRIDGE VOR AT 8000'. THE ACFT WAS FLT PLANNED CAM V72 ALB V449 DNY, WHICH TAKES IT THROUGH 2 SECTORS OF ALB APCH ON A 120 NM LINE THROUGH OUR AIRSPACE. SOME TIME AFTER THE HDOF, THE ASSOCIATED TAG WITH THE ACFT DROPPED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS. THERE WAS NO COM WITH THE ACFT UNTIL THE PLT REQUESTED A READ OUT WHEN HE WAS APPROX 15 N OF DNY INSIDE SYRACUSE SECTOR'S AIRSPACE. HE HAD NOT BEEN HANDED OFF. ABOUT THE SAME TIME SYR SECTOR CALLED TO SEE IF WE WERE TALKING TO THE ACFT AND AT THAT TIME WE INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO CHANGE TO BOS CENTER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY BUSY PERIOD. BOTH CTLRS HAD A 10-12 ACFT LOAD CONSTANTLY THROUGH THE HOUR. DUE TO THE HIGH VOLUME OF LNDG ACFT, MORE ATTN WAS BEING PAID TO SEQUENCING ARRS THAN TO THE OUTER BOUNDARIES. ALSO, THE LAST SECTOR THE ACFT WENT THROUGH HAD A NEWLY CHKED OUT DEVELOPMENTAL WORKING. SUGGESTIONS. WITH TFC VOLUMES IN THE MID TO HIGH 60'S PER HOUR, YOU NEED MORE THAN JUST 2 PEOPLE WORKING. A THIRD SCOPE SHOULD BE MANDATORY ALONG WITH SOMEONE TO COORD WITH CENTER AND OTHER FACILITIES. ALSO, IF ACFT THAT WERE JUST ABOUT TO DROP OUT OF THE COAST LIST FLASHED THE LAST 30 SEC, YOU WOULD HAVE WARNING PRIOR TO THEM DROPPING.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.