Air carrier came in close proximity to another aircraft within an arsa.

Attributes
ACN	111085
Time
Date	198905
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : fll
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2900 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mia
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	descent : approach descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	111085
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : far non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	vertical : 50
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X was on a vector and given a descent to 3000', landing fll. At approximately 10 mi north of fll he reported an aircraft within 50' of him. I had observed this aircraft earlier at 1500' at the time air carrier X was 3000-4000' higher. My attention was on another aircraft and I was using the landline to ZMA. No evasive action was taken. Contributing factors were our staffing--we are at 57% staffing. There is no overtime available and we work short all the time with no chance of spot leave. Our midnight staffing is 3 controllers and 1 supervisor. Between XXXX and XXXX we are very busy. I was working 6 sectors combined. I call traffic to aircraft all week, hundreds, and the one that I miss makes you a bad controller in the FAA's eyes. The paperwork involved has a way of making the controller feel at 100% fault, but on this VFR night, the pilot didn't see the aircraft until 50' away!

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR CAME IN CLOSE PROX TO ANOTHER ACFT WITHIN AN ARSA.

Narrative: ACR X WAS ON A VECTOR AND GIVEN A DSCNT TO 3000', LNDG FLL. AT APPROX 10 MI N OF FLL HE RPTED AN ACFT WITHIN 50' OF HIM. I HAD OBSERVED THIS ACFT EARLIER AT 1500' AT THE TIME ACR X WAS 3000-4000' HIGHER. MY ATTN WAS ON ANOTHER ACFT AND I WAS USING THE LANDLINE TO ZMA. NO EVASIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE OUR STAFFING--WE ARE AT 57% STAFFING. THERE IS NO OVERTIME AVAILABLE AND WE WORK SHORT ALL THE TIME WITH NO CHANCE OF SPOT LEAVE. OUR MIDNIGHT STAFFING IS 3 CTLRS AND 1 SUPVR. BTWN XXXX AND XXXX WE ARE VERY BUSY. I WAS WORKING 6 SECTORS COMBINED. I CALL TFC TO ACFT ALL WEEK, HUNDREDS, AND THE ONE THAT I MISS MAKES YOU A BAD CTLR IN THE FAA'S EYES. THE PAPERWORK INVOLVED HAS A WAY OF MAKING THE CTLR FEEL AT 100% FAULT, BUT ON THIS VFR NIGHT, THE PLT DIDN'T SEE THE ACFT UNTIL 50' AWAY!

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.