Narrative:

I was the radar controller at R30 sector (a low altitude sector, ground to FL230). Light transport X departed roa for a maintenance test flight. Flight plan was roa direct lyh, direct roa, requesting FL220. I took the handoff from roa approach, cleared the aircraft to climb to FL220, instructed the pilot to reverse course at lyh and return to roa maintaining FL220. Traffic in my sector was light at the time and I told the pilot there wasn't any problem with providing him ATC service for as long as he needed to accomplish all the tasks he had to do. In the meantime I got busy with other aircraft and the next I noticed light transport X had passed lyh and it became apparent that the aircraft would enter 1 or 2 other sectors by the time he made his turn back to roa. The pointout to the first sector was made and when I made the pointout to the second sector the aircraft was very close to the sector boundary. Unknown to me the second sector had an aircraft descending to FL220. I had initiated the pointout to the second sector too late for the other controller to be able to take any corrective action. The aircraft passed with 4.3 mi latitude sep and about 300'. I did not take any corrective action because by the time I realized that there would be lack of standard sep, light transport X was on a course diverging from the other aircraft. In the future you can be sure I won't be as complacent about aircraft entering another sector's airspace west/O a timely pointout or handoff.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ALLOWED AN LTT TO STRAY FROM HIS AIRSAPCE AND CONFLICT WITH AN ACR-MLG IN ANOTHER CTLR'S AIRSPACE.

Narrative: I WAS THE RADAR CTLR AT R30 SECTOR (A LOW ALT SECTOR, GND TO FL230). LTT X DEPARTED ROA FOR A MAINT TEST FLT. FLT PLAN WAS ROA DIRECT LYH, DIRECT ROA, REQUESTING FL220. I TOOK THE HDOF FROM ROA APCH, CLRED THE ACFT TO CLB TO FL220, INSTRUCTED THE PLT TO REVERSE COURSE AT LYH AND RETURN TO ROA MAINTAINING FL220. TFC IN MY SECTOR WAS LIGHT AT THE TIME AND I TOLD THE PLT THERE WASN'T ANY PROB WITH PROVIDING HIM ATC SVC FOR AS LONG AS HE NEEDED TO ACCOMPLISH ALL THE TASKS HE HAD TO DO. IN THE MEANTIME I GOT BUSY WITH OTHER ACFT AND THE NEXT I NOTICED LTT X HAD PASSED LYH AND IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE ACFT WOULD ENTER 1 OR 2 OTHER SECTORS BY THE TIME HE MADE HIS TURN BACK TO ROA. THE POINTOUT TO THE FIRST SECTOR WAS MADE AND WHEN I MADE THE POINTOUT TO THE SECOND SECTOR THE ACFT WAS VERY CLOSE TO THE SECTOR BOUNDARY. UNKNOWN TO ME THE SECOND SECTOR HAD AN ACFT DSNDING TO FL220. I HAD INITIATED THE POINTOUT TO THE SECOND SECTOR TOO LATE FOR THE OTHER CTLR TO BE ABLE TO TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE ACFT PASSED WITH 4.3 MI LAT SEP AND ABOUT 300'. I DID NOT TAKE ANY CORRECTIVE ACTION BECAUSE BY THE TIME I REALIZED THAT THERE WOULD BE LACK OF STANDARD SEP, LTT X WAS ON A COURSE DIVERGING FROM THE OTHER ACFT. IN THE FUTURE YOU CAN BE SURE I WON'T BE AS COMPLACENT ABOUT ACFT ENTERING ANOTHER SECTOR'S AIRSPACE W/O A TIMELY POINTOUT OR HDOF.

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.