Date: 202012
Local time of day: 0001-0600
Location: ZZZ.ARTCC, US
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Final Approach
Airspace: Class C ZZZ1
ATC / advisory: Center ZZZ
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute; Approach
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Situational Awareness; Distraction; Confusion
Second reporter function: Approach; Enroute
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Airspace Violation All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Inflight Event / Encounter Weather / Turbulence
Result: Air Traffic Control Issued New Clearance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related; Procedure
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: ZZZ Approach was closed for staffing reasons due to COVID illness / quarantine on the midnight shift.  Sector X (my sector) was in control of the airspace.  Sector Y had Aircraft X arriving to ZZZ from the southeast.  The pilot dialed up the ATIS at ZZZ which told the pilot to come up on my frequency for a weather update. I read the weather to the pilot then sent them back to sector Y freq. I kept the datablock up on my scope assuming that I would get a hand off soon and clear the Aircraft X for an approach. Since ZZZ is really close to the boundary with [sectors] X / Y; the Controller decided to work the aircraft all the way into ZZZ.  I treated it like a point-out as did he although we made no official coordination.At the same time; I had another aircraft (Aircraft Y) about 60 miles north of ZZZ inbound to the field and was asking about runway conditions at ZZZ.  I had a number to call the field operations for updates because the TRACON /Tower was closed.   When calling from the line; I got a recording staying the 'This line is no longer in service and to hang up and try again.'   I asked the second Controller in my area if he knew of an issue with the phone number.   He got on the Supervisor's phone and called for an update.  The field ops told him about the snow on the runways as well as Runway X Left being closed for snow removal. This was not in our NOTAMs.  That Controller then ran down to the other area who was working the Aircraft X and told them what was going on.  Luckily the Aircraft X wasn't too low for radio coverage; the Controller issued them present heading and a climb back up to 6;000.  The Aircraft X was then put on my frequency where I let them fly out to the west a bit farther and set up for a turn back to the IAF for Runway X Right.  The plane then landed safely at ZZZ.There should have been formal coordination between Sector Y and myself on who was working the Aircraft X into ZZZ.  It doesn't change the fact that a runway was closed at ZZZ without a NOTAM in our system.  The only reason we found out was because of the Aircraft Y inbound from the north asking about updates on the field conditions and the other Controller making the phone call for me.  I'm not sure how long it takes for NOTAMs to populate in our system but it's not fast enough.  I guess they hit enter on the keyboard and immediately jumped in snowplows and took to the runway. The NOTAM did eventually populate in our system; but it was after this event took place.


Second narrative: I was notified of a poorly handled situation on the mid shift.  There were several major breakdowns in communication causing a 'swiss cheese' situation that could have ended devastatingly. Likely some minor changes to ZZZZ/ZZZ (ZZZ ATC 0) Contingency Plan. At roughly XA:00 in the morning Sector Y was working Aircraft X; during the enroute/initial descent portion of the flight arriving ZZZ. Keeping in mind ZZZ Approach is ATC 0 and Sector X assumes ALL of their airspace with procedures in place. At some point Aircraft X calls Sector X; likely on a second radio while in communication with Sector Y; to obtain the weather since the ATIS is not updated hourly and instructs pilots to do exactly that for the latest weather and field conditions. Presumably the pilot was then instructed to return to Sector Y frequency since the flight was a little ways out (and no radar contact) where Sector Y proceeded to work the aircraft all the way into the airport with no coordination to Sector X. Sector X Controller proceeded to watch this unfold without attempting to initiate the coordination to Sector Y to say 'radar contact' or even 'point-out approved' since there was no traffic for this aircraft. This was wrong in and of itself for several reasons including questioning the reach of Sector Y frequencies.Sector Y has this aircraft set up for an instrument approach; runway unknown to Sector X. Simultaneously; Sector X is in communication with Aircraft Y; inbound to ZZZ. The pilot of this flight asked us for runway conditions. The Controller working the sector was unable to get a hold of ZZZ airport operations with the line for an unknown reason. The Sector X; A-side called on another phone and after a brief conversation with operations learned that operations had tried calling Sector X on frequency to inform us that Runway XL is closed while they clear the runway of snow. It was also about this time that the NOTAM populated in ERIDS (En-route Information Display System) which is definitely not enough time between NOTAM being received and giving [the] Controller time to see [the] NOTAM relative to the location and phase of flight to Aircraft X arrival; especially if NOTAMs had already been checked and issued at the initial descent per 7110.65. While this phone call was taking place; Aircraft X was on final at approximately 3;500 feet or less. A-side ran to Sector Y and asked what runway the flight is set up for and was told Runway XL and was immediately told to cancel approach clearance and climb aircraft to 6;000 runway heading and place the aircraft on Sector X's frequency. It's amazing that Sector Y's frequency was able to even reach the aircraft. With poor visibility and snow plows kicking up snow; the plows would never have been seen even if the runway had been.Recommendations:1. Airport operations not getting a hold of an actual person to communicate runway closure and in a timely manner.2. Sector Y working an aircraft into airspace that wasn't their own. Breakdown in understanding ownership of ZZZ1 or negligence?3. Sector X Controller not initiating 'radar contact' of this flight.4. Retrain OM's.  Many overnight OM's are not properly executing text files at time of ATC 0 placing ZZZ approach airspace at a sector that's adjacent to the actual sector being worked. Sector X is one scope on the mid at Sector Z. ZZZ approach is being opened at Sector X and more often than not; is NOT followed up with a CS message to combine with Sector Z. Until a few years ago; Sector X was the mid scope and text file needs updated. This second step was clear in an email prior to this period of ZZZ; ATC 0 but is being overlooked. Controllers in Sector X assume it's being done correctly by having the airspace next to them and don't speak up about it. So if an aircraft didn't call Sector X for weather; Sector X could potentially be completely unaware of Sector Y working aircraft into ZZZ as 'auto-pop' would happen on the adjacent scope. During this incident; ZZZ Approach was opened at the adjacent scope as I was told. That did not cause this though or factor into it; however.5. Airport operations told to contact ZZZ Center on frequency which was never going to work. Needs to be a phone call to center and nothing done until this takes place.It was discussed this morning after this incident that regardless of the weather; ZZZ (Sector X) shall reach out to airport operations for ALL arrivals to make sure they are clear of the runway. Supposedly one of the operators on the runway had a radio with a dead battery and obviously would not have heard a pilot calling short final or any other calls. Why wouldn't a radio be tested with another handheld and how could it have been unknown that it was dead?Changes to the ATC-0 plan may need to happen to stop this from happening again.


Synopsis: Center Controller reported communication issue with a TRACON that was ATC Zero involving an aircraft inbound to an airport with a non-NOTAMed closed runway.