ZDC controller experienced operational deviation when making a handoff to the wrong sector and the aircraft entered an adjacent sector without a handoff.

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Attributes
ACN	721564
Time
Date	200612
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : zdc.artcc
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 34000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : bwi.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar controller : non radar controller : military
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 7 controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	721564
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

I intended to hand an air carrier X to R72 sector. Because of the close proximity of the number 7 and 4 on dsr keyboard I put the aircraft into handoff to R42. When I observed a radar handoff was accepted on air carrier X; I switched the aircraft to R72 frequency when in fact R42 had the handoff. The aircraft entered R72 sector as a limited data tag without a handoff. Air carrier X went over to R72 frequency but never checked on so R72 did not know about the aircraft. Several things could have helped stop this situation. 1) I could have taken notice of what sector the handoff went to. 2) R42 could have noticed they took a handoff not intended for them. 3) the pilot should have checked on R72 frequency so the controller could have told him he was on the wrong frequency and sent him back to me and I could have noticed R72 did not have a handoff yet. 4) what did cause it is the fact that R72 and R42 are in close proximity to each other; and the 7 and 4 on the dsr keyboard are easy to hit by accident when you mean to hit the other. Remedy ZDC management should be advised to change either R72 or R42 handoff numbers.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPDEV WHEN MAKING A HDOF TO THE WRONG SECTOR AND THE ACFT ENTERED AN ADJACENT SECTOR WITHOUT A HDOF.

Narrative: I INTENDED TO HAND AN ACR X TO R72 SECTOR. BECAUSE OF THE CLOSE PROX OF THE NUMBER 7 AND 4 ON DSR KEYBOARD I PUT THE ACFT INTO HDOF TO R42. WHEN I OBSERVED A RADAR HDOF WAS ACCEPTED ON ACR X; I SWITCHED THE ACFT TO R72 FREQ WHEN IN FACT R42 HAD THE HDOF. THE ACFT ENTERED R72 SECTOR AS A LIMITED DATA TAG WITHOUT A HDOF. ACR X WENT OVER TO R72 FREQ BUT NEVER CHKED ON SO R72 DID NOT KNOW ABOUT THE ACFT. SEVERAL THINGS COULD HAVE HELPED STOP THIS SITUATION. 1) I COULD HAVE TAKEN NOTICE OF WHAT SECTOR THE HDOF WENT TO. 2) R42 COULD HAVE NOTICED THEY TOOK A HDOF NOT INTENDED FOR THEM. 3) THE PLT SHOULD HAVE CHKED ON R72 FREQ SO THE CTLR COULD HAVE TOLD HIM HE WAS ON THE WRONG FREQ AND SENT HIM BACK TO ME AND I COULD HAVE NOTICED R72 DID NOT HAVE A HDOF YET. 4) WHAT DID CAUSE IT IS THE FACT THAT R72 AND R42 ARE IN CLOSE PROX TO EACH OTHER; AND THE 7 AND 4 ON THE DSR KEYBOARD ARE EASY TO HIT BY ACCIDENT WHEN YOU MEAN TO HIT THE OTHER. REMEDY ZDC MGMNT SHOULD BE ADVISED TO CHANGE EITHER R72 OR R42 HDOF NUMBERS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.