Medium Large Transport
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 3.5
Troubleshooting; Workload; Confusion; Communication Breakdown
ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance
Weather; Procedure
Aircraft X was an RDU arrival that was forced into R29/30's airspace by ZDC. The aircraft was attempting to deviate through weather in an attempt to land RDU. At the time; I was monitoring the sector as a new OS. When a handoff was attempted to ZDC; the Controller unabled the handoff and instructed the R-side to hold the aircraft. Holding instructions were issued at the GSO VORTAC. The pilot declined the holding and said the weather was too bad and that he was also unable to reverse course. At the time; there was hail and tornadoes reported in the weather immediately to the aircrafts west side. The ZTL Controller attempted to communicate this to the ZDC Controller and the ZDC Controller said 'point out approved'. The ZTL Controller then stated he was unable to continue working the aircraft in ZDC's airspace and that this was a handoff; not a point out. The ZDC Controller said unable and refused to answer the line for future communications. Meanwhile; the aircraft was 10 miles inside of ZDC's airspace and unable to turn around or hold. When the Supervisor at ZDC was contacted; she refused to help as well. At the time severe turbulence had also been associated with that weather. ZDC Controller and Supervisor should receive additional training on teamwork; fundamental 7110 handoff procedures (including the fact that it is illegal for a receiving controller to initiate a point out); and skill enhancement training on working with weather. There is no reason the relationship between ZTL and ZDC should be so one-sided. In this case; the ZDC Controller attempted to force an aircraft in to a VERY unsafe situation that could have resulted in an aircraft loss. This situation needs to be analyzed thoroughly and steps taken to ensure this situation does not occur in the future. Not only did the Controller and Supervisor act unprofessional but they attempted to negligently place an aircraft in harms way in clear violation of 7110.65 rules and procedures.
ZTL Front Line Manager reports of another Center refusing to accept a handoff on an aircraft in severe weather.