Date: 201409
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZAU.ARTCC, IL
Light: Dusk
Aircraft: Light Transport; Low Wing; 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Climb
Airspace: Class A ZAU; Class C SBN
ATC / advisory: Center ZAU; TRACON SBN
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Enroute
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Workload; Troubleshooting; Time Pressure; Confusion; Distraction; Situational Awareness; Communication Breakdown
Second reporter function: Enroute; Handoff / Assist
Anomaly: Aircraft Equipment Problem Critical; Deviation - Track / Heading All Types; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: In-flight
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Landed in Emergency Condition
Contributing factors: Aircraft; Airspace Structure; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Aircraft

Narrative: Aircraft X; departed en-route to MTN. I climbed the aircraft to FL230 and shipped him to the next sector. The next sector climbed the aircraft; then the pilot stated that they lost the #2 engine and needed to land. The pilot did not specify which airport. The other controller descended the aircraft back to FL190 and the d-side moved over from that position to my sector to fill me in on the situation. The pilot did not know where he wanted to land; I gave the options of SBN which was about 10 miles away; or AZO which was about 50 miles away. The pilot opted for SBN when he was about 5 miles directly north of that airport. I descended the aircraft to 110 and had the d-side coordinate with SBN approach. Aircraft X was descending eastbound; and I also had an aircraft descending westbound for SBN. I vectored that aircraft to the north and stopped him at 120 in order to get Aircraft X underneath. SBN approach asked for Aircraft X on a 360 heading; which would have aimed him directly at the aircraft at 120 on the heading. I turned Aircraft X to a 70 heading and the d-side coordinated it and released control. SBN also had the hand off on the aircraft at 120. Aircraft X asked for the approach frequency; I gave him the frequency; and SBN called wondering what the aircraft was doing. The d-side re-stated the info; I called the aircraft again (he never went to approach the first time); and shipped him again to SBN approach. Eventually; Aircraft X ended up landing at AZO.The controller at the sector above me gave me no information when she descended the aircraft back into my airspace. She then went on break and maybe could have stayed an extra minute to make sure things were ok. The d-side was extremely helpful and moved right over to my sector; but didn't know exactly what needed to be done; having never worked an emergency before; and being newly checked out on only 1 radar position.  My own supervisor could have called SBN and started coordinating with their supervisor; who ended up calling us anyway. I should have re-routed the aircraft AZO instead once I realized the other traffic landing SBN was going to create so many problems; or I should have called SBN myself to complete all the coordination. I started to feel like I wasn't in control of the situation; and my plan was not matching up with the controller at SBN.


Second narrative: [Report narrative contained no additional information].


Synopsis: ZAU controllers describe a situation where an aircraft loses an engine and the steps taken to get the aircraft safely on the ground. Confusion and airspace deviations were prevalent as no one could communicate what the other was doing from controller to controller.