Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 7
Communication Breakdown; Human-Machine Interface; Time Pressure
ATC Issue All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter CFTT / CFIT; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance
Procedure; Human Factors; Airspace Structure
While I was relieving a controller; he pointed out a small aircraft in in the adjacent sector's airspace at 8;000 ft.; flashing handoff to us; in moderate precipitation; begin to alert with terrain and fly directly north. Eventually they put in a block 070B080 altitude and deviations into the datablock. The Controller called me and said Aircraft X was in moderate turbulence; deviating for the weather; and requested the block altitudes 7 to 8;000 ft. giving me control. Along Aircraft X's deviations; there were two blocks of shared terrain between that are 7;300 and 7;100 ft. respectively. I asked the sector if they were going to keep Aircraft X away from the terrain the aircraft was below; and they replied; 'I'm not going to turn him with the weather'. I approved the block; but didn't accept radar contact. I monitored Aircraft X's deviations; and the aircraft was headed directly for the 7;100 ft. terrain. I did not take the handoff; and eventually about 6 minutes from my boundary; the aircraft began to turn enough that they were barely scraping the high terrain box. About 4 minutes from my boundary; they took the handoff back; changed the altitude to 8;000 ft.; and I took the handoff as soon as they flashed it at me again; at a safe altitude.While I know that aircraft in distress should be left alone to fly as much as possible; that does not mean a controller can disregard terrain issues; and they should certainly not abdicate responsibility to the next controller when the situation happens in their airspace. Perhaps that controller needs a refresher on IFR responsibilities; or at least should know to handle an unsafe situation in her airspace herself.
Center Controller reported the adjacent Center sector attempted to hand an aircraft off to them in an altitude block that was partially below the minimum terrain requirement.