Narrative:

Ric approach called with a handoff on a limited data block approximately 10 mi within my airspace. He idented the aircraft as small aircraft X. I told him I had no information on the aircraft but he was 'radar.' never called. I called ric and asked if they would try to switch him again to my frequency. He never called. I went back to ric and asked again if they had switched the aircraft. He said no and suggested that I call flight service and have them broadcast on VOR once at sbv to reach the aircraft. I did not do that, nor did I start a track on small aircraft X. I had no information on the aircraft. There was no information on the D side either. With that, I assumed that small aircraft X wanted VFR flight following and the reason he never called was because he didn't want flight following anymore. I just let it go. I didn't call sbv about the aircraft in question. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated small aircraft X was IFR. The flight plan had timed out in ric approach control airspace and was not updated. Reporter did not ask ric approach controller for information on small aircraft X and assumed the aircraft was VFR. Small aircraft X proceeded through 2 center sectors and entered gso approach control airspace without coordination.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X UNAUTHORIZED UNCOORDINATED PENETRATION OF CTR AND APCH CTL AIRSPACE. OPDEV.

Narrative: RIC APCH CALLED WITH A HDOF ON A LIMITED DATA BLOCK APPROX 10 MI WITHIN MY AIRSPACE. HE IDENTED THE ACFT AS SMA X. I TOLD HIM I HAD NO INFO ON THE ACFT BUT HE WAS 'RADAR.' NEVER CALLED. I CALLED RIC AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD TRY TO SWITCH HIM AGAIN TO MY FREQ. HE NEVER CALLED. I WENT BACK TO RIC AND ASKED AGAIN IF THEY HAD SWITCHED THE ACFT. HE SAID NO AND SUGGESTED THAT I CALL FLT SVC AND HAVE THEM BROADCAST ON VOR ONCE AT SBV TO REACH THE ACFT. I DID NOT DO THAT, NOR DID I START A TRACK ON SMA X. I HAD NO INFO ON THE ACFT. THERE WAS NO INFO ON THE D SIDE EITHER. WITH THAT, I ASSUMED THAT SMA X WANTED VFR FLT FOLLOWING AND THE REASON HE NEVER CALLED WAS BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT FLT FOLLOWING ANYMORE. I JUST LET IT GO. I DIDN'T CALL SBV ABOUT THE ACFT IN QUESTION. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED SMA X WAS IFR. THE FLT PLAN HAD TIMED OUT IN RIC APCH CTL AIRSPACE AND WAS NOT UPDATED. RPTR DID NOT ASK RIC APCH CTLR FOR INFO ON SMA X AND ASSUMED THE ACFT WAS VFR. SMA X PROCEEDED THROUGH 2 CTR SECTORS AND ENTERED GSO APCH CTL AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.