B757-300
Air Traffic Control Developmental
Confusion; Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
General None Reported / Taken
Procedure; ATC Equipment / Nav Facility / Buildings; Human Factors
I was working D-Side in Sector X and we had an airspace violation that occurred. When I assumed the position; I was told the rides were bad in some altitudes. The sector was beginning to get busy. I'm not sure how long I was on the sector before when we received a PIREP of moderate turbulence at FL410. The R-Side wrote the information on the dry erase board and told me to put it in the ERIDS. We weren't too busy at the time so I put it in ERIDS. I also caught some bad routes that I brought to the R-Side's attention. As our session went on we started to get more complaints and queries from the pilots about the rides. I realized that our sector was getting busier and my R-Side wanted me to get control for some aircraft for descent or turns. I can't clearly recall what exactly he was tasking me to do. I just remember I was busier doing what he wanted. On top of that; I was making and taking hand offs and evaluating conflicts and EDST alerts and keeping my scan going. Air Carrier X; at FL350; was an eastbound aircraft South of J146 and West of J11. The aircraft was at the usual location for me to initiate the hand off to Denver Center Sector Y. I observed the hand off being initiated to the correct sector after I made the keyboard entries. Once I confirmed this; I moved on with my scan throughout the sector. I'm not sure how many minutes after I initiated the hand off; that Air Carrier X reported a bad ride at FL350 and requested FL370. The R-Side retracted the hand off and assigned the new altitude. No coordination was needed because Air Carrier X would now be handed off to Denver Center Sector Z. I heard the R-Side issue the altitude; but I was evaluating other hand offs and initiating hand offs on our other traffic. I assumed the R-Side would issue the altitude; put in the new altitude and initiate the hand off on Air Carrier X since he retracted the original hand off and the aircraft was at the appropriate place to start the hand off. Meanwhile; because Air Carrier X's hand off was taken back the auto hand off feature of ERAM was turned off. Both the R-Side and I were so busy that we didn't notice that Air Carrier X was not being handed off. Also; the R-Side shipped Air Carrier X to Denver Center Sector 24 at some point during all this. It wasn't until Denver Center Sector Z called and said if we could start the hand off on Air Carrier X because he was already on their frequency. At that point; I saw Air Carrier X at the boundary and I quickly made the hand off to Denver Sector Z. No other aircraft was involved. My recommendation would be to fix ERAM so the auto hand off feature is not inhibited if a hand off is taken back. This would be very helpful during busier sessions like the one we had. Also; if there was some was to improve ERAM so the aircraft data block could flash at certain distance from another sector's boundary if it gets too close without the hand off being made. Something similar to the flashing that occurs when the computer projects two aircraft are going to lose separation. I learned during this event to stay proactive and to improve my scan to catch aircraft that are indicated off frequency and to make sure they were handed off.
Enroute D-Side Controller described an airspace infraction when the R-Side retrieved a hand off and the automated feature of ERAM failed to initiate the hand off.