ZOB controller described an adjacent airspace incursion when the automated hand off feature initiate...

Narrative:

I was working the lan sector which is 11;000 ft to FL230. An E135 departed fnt requesting FL240. Due to traffic at 16;000 ft; I stopped the E135 at 15;000 ft. I had 150T in the data block with the aircraft level. I started the flash at chicago center by pressing 'g cid'. Sparta sector (g22) is 11;000 ft to FL190. Pullman sector (g25) is FL200 and above. The automation starting flashing the data block at g25 even though that sector floor is 5;000 ft above the interim altitude and pullman took the hand off almost immediately; which made me think that sparta took it. Interim altitudes do pass between cleveland and chicago center. Sparta then starting flashing a grr departure CRJ2 head on with the E135 leaving 11;000 for 15;000 ft. I called sparta and told them to stop the CRJ2 at 14;000. Sparta then said they didn't have the hand off on the E135 and then called radar. The automation issue has been a know issue for years and needs to be fixed. The automation issue with flashing to the wrong sector needs to be fixed. Pullman should have called to ask if the aircraft was flashing by accident instead of taking the hand off level 5;000 ft below their floor.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZOB Controller described an adjacent airspace incursion when the automated hand off feature initiated the hand off to the inappropriate sector without controller corrective action.

Narrative: I was working the LAN Sector which is 11;000 FT to FL230. An E135 departed FNT requesting FL240. Due to traffic at 16;000 FT; I stopped the E135 at 15;000 FT. I had 150T in the Data Block with the aircraft level. I started the flash at Chicago Center by pressing 'g cid'. Sparta Sector (g22) is 11;000 FT to FL190. Pullman Sector (g25) is FL200 and above. The automation starting flashing the Data Block at g25 even though that sector floor is 5;000 FT above the interim altitude and Pullman took the hand off almost immediately; which made me think that Sparta took it. Interim altitudes do pass between Cleveland and Chicago Center. Sparta then starting flashing a GRR departure CRJ2 head on with the E135 leaving 11;000 for 15;000 FT. I called Sparta and told them to stop the CRJ2 at 14;000. Sparta then said they didn't have the hand off on the E135 and then called RADAR. The automation issue has been a know issue for years and needs to be fixed. The automation issue with flashing to the wrong sector needs to be fixed. Pullman should have called to ask if the aircraft was flashing by accident instead of taking the hand off level 5;000 FT below their floor.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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	1028512
Time
Date	201208
Local Time Of Day	1801-2400
Place
Locale Reference	ZOB.ARTCC
State Reference	OH
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 135 ER/LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Cruise
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	Climb
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Person 2
Function	Enroute
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types Airspace Violation All Types

ZOB controller described an adjacent airspace incursion when the automated hand off feature initiated the hand off to the inappropriate sector without controller corrective action.