Widebody; Low Wing; 4 Turbojet Eng
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 5
Distraction; Confusion; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Requested ATC Assistance / Clarification
Procedure; Weather; Human Factors
I was working sector 17 as an R-side.  There was moderate traffic; as well as weather deviations.  I got a call on frequency from Aircraft X.  When I had time to talk to the Aircraft X he said that he was going to TIK; that needed an IFR clearance immediately.  I had my d-side look up the callsign in the NAS; and saw nothing.  I gave the Aircraft X a code and told him to maintain VFR.  The Aircraft X said he was unable to maintain VFR and needed an IFR clearance immediately.When I asked him his location; he gave me a fixed radial distance from a point far outside my airspace.  When I spanned out my radar scope; I saw what I thought was his code approximately 10 miles southeast of SAF.  I tracked the datablock to the code I believed to be the Aircraft X; and I told the Aircraft X that; according to what I believed his position to be; his best option to avoid precipitation would be approximately a 160 heading for weather; or; to reverse course; as the weather appeared to be building east of SAF.  I believed that my D-side called R16 and explained who the Aircraft X was; and what he was requesting. I had other aircraft on my frequency requesting weather deviations; and the Aircraft X seemed to have deteriorating radio communication; so I shipped the Aircraft X to sector 16.  I was relieved off position for a break shortly after; and notified the Supervisor of the situation.  I was later told that the Aircraft X was actually in ZDV airspace the entire time.The pilot needs to not get himself into trouble; and then call the incorrect center.  Why was he flying a VR route into weather?
A Controller receives a call from an aircraft that isn't in his airspace that needs an IFR clearance due to weather. Aircraft is found and sent to correct frequency which was in another Center's airspace.