ARTCC radar controller expects facility automatic handoff function to timely hand off transiting traffic through his airspace. One aircraft does not and flies across other sectors before aircraft is 'found.' controller stated his shift utilized 'unconfirmed pointouts' and 'keep 'em coming' controller agreements. Controller complains NAS computer automatic handoff function was inhibited that would allow these procedures to be completed.

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Attributes
ACN	412465
Time
Date	199808
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : mke
State Reference	WI
Altitude	msl bound lower : 37000 msl bound upper : 37000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zau
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 20
ASRS Report	412465
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Aircraft was inadvertently allowed to exit sector without accomplishing a handoff and xfer of controller communication. Aircraft traversed a number of sectors before situation was idented. Contributing factors: moderate to heavy workload at tail end of this shift, this flight's automatic handoff feature had been inhibited by the NAS computer and did not activate, common practice of this shift's controllers to permit 'unconfirmed pointouts' and 'keep 'em coming' agreements when handoff is not accepted prior to sector boundary. Other considerations: receiving controller observing limited data block entering airspace, but assuming it to be an 'unconfirmed pointout' took no action believing previous controller would accomplish any subsequent coordination. Situation was idented by subsequent controller who observed limited data block, idented the flight and took actions to accomplish xfer of control and communications.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR EXPECTS FACILITY AUTO HDOF FUNCTION TO TIMELY HAND OFF TRANSITING TFC THROUGH HIS AIRSPACE. ONE ACFT DOES NOT AND FLIES ACROSS OTHER SECTORS BEFORE ACFT IS 'FOUND.' CTLR STATED HIS SHIFT UTILIZED 'UNCONFIRMED POINTOUTS' AND 'KEEP 'EM COMING' CTLR AGREEMENTS. CTLR COMPLAINS NAS COMPUTER AUTO HDOF FUNCTION WAS INHIBITED THAT WOULD ALLOW THESE PROCS TO BE COMPLETED.

Narrative: ACFT WAS INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED TO EXIT SECTOR WITHOUT ACCOMPLISHING A HDOF AND XFER OF CTLR COM. ACFT TRAVERSED A NUMBER OF SECTORS BEFORE SIT WAS IDENTED. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MODERATE TO HVY WORKLOAD AT TAIL END OF THIS SHIFT, THIS FLT'S AUTO HDOF FEATURE HAD BEEN INHIBITED BY THE NAS COMPUTER AND DID NOT ACTIVATE, COMMON PRACTICE OF THIS SHIFT'S CTLRS TO PERMIT 'UNCONFIRMED POINTOUTS' AND 'KEEP 'EM COMING' AGREEMENTS WHEN HDOF IS NOT ACCEPTED PRIOR TO SECTOR BOUNDARY. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: RECEIVING CTLR OBSERVING LIMITED DATA BLOCK ENTERING AIRSPACE, BUT ASSUMING IT TO BE AN 'UNCONFIRMED POINTOUT' TOOK NO ACTION BELIEVING PREVIOUS CTLR WOULD ACCOMPLISH ANY SUBSEQUENT COORD. SIT WAS IDENTED BY SUBSEQUENT CTLR WHO OBSERVED LIMITED DATA BLOCK, IDENTED THE FLT AND TOOK ACTIONS TO ACCOMPLISH XFER OF CTL AND COMS.

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.