Change of runways at den caused confusion in TRACON.

Attributes
ACN	107365
Time
Date	198903
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : den
State Reference	CO
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : den
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	107365
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	107366
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : far non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

Den was landing runway 26 and then changed to 17 because of winds. During the runway change some aircraft were in the wrong airspace on the wrong frequency. X-1 was on one controller's frequency and X-2 was on another's both in the same airspace. X-1 was turned to an 080 degree heading and given traffic. X-2 was turned to a 320 degree heading and given traffic. X-2 saw the traffic and was told to follow the other to the airport. I'm not sure what the sep was, or if we had visibility before we lost sep. Factors: aircraft in airspace not on the appropriate frequency. Also no set procedures for runway changes. Everybody is in a 'miss airplanes' attitude. Also, there was no real sequence from the feeder controller to the final controller because they were 'missing airplanes.' there has to be some set procedure to change runways. At den, more errors have been occurring because of runway changes. Supplemental information from acn 107366: while working approach control in limited airspace (dump zone for 17L & right and 18 at stapleton). Aircraft were being vectored for approachs that were yet to be available. A runway change had just occurred. I was working what I thought was a one final controller operation while the other controller was to finish working the 26L & right operation. Unexpectedly the other final controller was working aircraft to 17L & right in what I thought was my airspace. Plus the tower was giving missed approachs from 26 my frequency 134.85 when they were on ar-2's tags 'F' instead of 'D'. Feeder controllers were both in training status and were forcing aircraft into an already full dump zone. Ar-2 (also in training status) had aircraft in my half of dump 'F tags.' while I (ar-3) had aircraft on my frequency in his half of the dump. Causing much confusion. Aircraft were put in perilous situations at many altitudes. Evasive vectors were issued. Near misses occurred. Arrs should have been shut off, or at least run to both sets of runways much longer.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CHANGE OF RWYS AT DEN CAUSED CONFUSION IN TRACON.

Narrative: DEN WAS LNDG RWY 26 AND THEN CHANGED TO 17 BECAUSE OF WINDS. DURING THE RWY CHANGE SOME ACFT WERE IN THE WRONG AIRSPACE ON THE WRONG FREQ. X-1 WAS ON ONE CTLR'S FREQ AND X-2 WAS ON ANOTHER'S BOTH IN THE SAME AIRSPACE. X-1 WAS TURNED TO AN 080 DEG HDG AND GIVEN TFC. X-2 WAS TURNED TO A 320 DEG HDG AND GIVEN TFC. X-2 SAW THE TFC AND WAS TOLD TO FOLLOW THE OTHER TO THE ARPT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT THE SEP WAS, OR IF WE HAD VIS BEFORE WE LOST SEP. FACTORS: ACFT IN AIRSPACE NOT ON THE APPROPRIATE FREQ. ALSO NO SET PROCS FOR RWY CHANGES. EVERYBODY IS IN A 'MISS AIRPLANES' ATTITUDE. ALSO, THERE WAS NO REAL SEQUENCE FROM THE FEEDER CTLR TO THE FINAL CTLR BECAUSE THEY WERE 'MISSING AIRPLANES.' THERE HAS TO BE SOME SET PROC TO CHANGE RWYS. AT DEN, MORE ERRORS HAVE BEEN OCCURRING BECAUSE OF RWY CHANGES. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 107366: WHILE WORKING APCH CTL IN LIMITED AIRSPACE (DUMP ZONE FOR 17L & R AND 18 AT STAPLETON). ACFT WERE BEING VECTORED FOR APCHS THAT WERE YET TO BE AVAILABLE. A RWY CHANGE HAD JUST OCCURRED. I WAS WORKING WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A ONE FINAL CTLR OPERATION WHILE THE OTHER CTLR WAS TO FINISH WORKING THE 26L & R OPERATION. UNEXPECTEDLY THE OTHER FINAL CTLR WAS WORKING ACFT TO 17L & R IN WHAT I THOUGHT WAS MY AIRSPACE. PLUS THE TWR WAS GIVING MISSED APCHS FROM 26 MY FREQ 134.85 WHEN THEY WERE ON AR-2'S TAGS 'F' INSTEAD OF 'D'. FEEDER CTLRS WERE BOTH IN TRNING STATUS AND WERE FORCING ACFT INTO AN ALREADY FULL DUMP ZONE. AR-2 (ALSO IN TRNING STATUS) HAD ACFT IN MY HALF OF DUMP 'F TAGS.' WHILE I (AR-3) HAD ACFT ON MY FREQ IN HIS HALF OF THE DUMP. CAUSING MUCH CONFUSION. ACFT WERE PUT IN PERILOUS SITUATIONS AT MANY ALTS. EVASIVE VECTORS WERE ISSUED. NEAR MISSES OCCURRED. ARRS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SHUT OFF, OR AT LEAST RUN TO BOTH SETS OF RWYS MUCH LONGER.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.