Regional Jet 200 ER/LR (CRJ200)
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings
I had Air Carrier X climbing to FL270 due to traffic. He was requesting FL290 and I had interim FL270 in the data block. I had some other traffic situations such as other DTW climbers and a BUF inbound along with a DTW inbound that was head on with the DTW climber and the BUF inbound. The DTW inbound had to get down through the DTW departure and the BUF inbound had to get down through the DTW departure also. The BUF inbound had to be stepped down on top of the DTW inbound and I had more than one aircraft on vectors in order to make all of these things happen to get the aircraft climbing and descending and on there way where they needed to go. During all of this; Air Carrier X was approaching the boundary of the DKK sector and I still had the aircraft with an interim altitude of FL270 in the data block requesting FL290. I then noticed that the handoff on Air Carrier X had already been accepted by the next sector. I presumed that the handoff was taken by the DKK Sector. I later found out that the aircraft had auto-handed off to the wrong sector; but I did not see this. The WRN Sector who owns FL280 and above had the handoff. I went to switch Air Carrier X to DKK and right then I noticed that someone had taken the interim altitude out of the data block. I did not climb the aircraft; I just switched him to the sector that I thought had the handoff. I switched him to the DKK Sector. I later found out that they did not have the handoff and of course they did not get a point out. The fact is that the aircraft auto-handed off to the wrong sector and I didn't catch it. This is not the first time I have seen this; the other times I noticed it and made the appropriate calls to coordinate. I believe; if the auto-handoff feature was able to recognize if there is an interim altitude in the data block and hand the aircraft off to the correct sector; this problem would be avoided.
ZOB Controller experienced an airspace incursion when failing to recognize that the automated handoff was initiated to the wrong sector; the reporter recommending auto handoff modifications.