Less than standard separation between air carrier and atx at 10,000'.

Attributes
ACN	112974
Time
Date	198906
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ewr
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	112974
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	112571
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : detected after the fact
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 4500 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error
Situations
ATC Facility	procedure or policy : unspecified

Narrative:

The newark departure controller handed off 2 aircraft to the liberty sector. The liberty west controller took the handoff on a commuter climbing to 9000' (final altitude to be 14,000'). The north liberty controller took a handoff on a jet at 10,000'. There were no other west departures, so the west controller having control for climb, climbed the commuter to 14,000'. The north departure was southwest of this commuter, but was never pointed out to west. It became a conflict. Causes: 1) west controller has control for climb, but only in area #14 which is not defined or outlined in the liberty SOP or radar map and the sector was not briefed on it. It is drawn on the newark map. 2) leaving propellers at 9,000 was a new procedure which again liberty was not briefed on, nor was it described adequately or consistently in the SOP. 3) procedure says leave propellers at 9000', jets at 10,000' out both west and north gates. To apply this procedure with 2 aircraft going to 2 different positions is dangerous and the aircraft should have been pointed out since both controllers have control for climb. Supplemental information from acn 112571: atx Y passed in close proximity to air carrier X. Both aircraft had each other in sight, but were not instructed to maintain visual separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR AND ATX AT 10,000'.

Narrative: THE NEWARK DEP CTLR HANDED OFF 2 ACFT TO THE LIBERTY SECTOR. THE LIBERTY WEST CTLR TOOK THE HANDOFF ON A COMMUTER CLIMBING TO 9000' (FINAL ALT TO BE 14,000'). THE NORTH LIBERTY CTLR TOOK A HANDOFF ON A JET AT 10,000'. THERE WERE NO OTHER WEST DEPS, SO THE WEST CTLR HAVING CTL FOR CLIMB, CLIMBED THE COMMUTER TO 14,000'. THE NORTH DEP WAS SW OF THIS COMMUTER, BUT WAS NEVER POINTED OUT TO WEST. IT BECAME A CONFLICT. CAUSES: 1) WEST CTLR HAS CTL FOR CLIMB, BUT ONLY IN AREA #14 WHICH IS NOT DEFINED OR OUTLINED IN THE LIBERTY SOP OR RADAR MAP AND THE SECTOR WAS NOT BRIEFED ON IT. IT IS DRAWN ON THE NEWARK MAP. 2) LEAVING PROPS AT 9,000 WAS A NEW PROC WHICH AGAIN LIBERTY WAS NOT BRIEFED ON, NOR WAS IT DESCRIBED ADEQUATELY OR CONSISTENTLY IN THE SOP. 3) PROC SAYS LEAVE PROPS AT 9000', JETS AT 10,000' OUT BOTH WEST AND NORTH GATES. TO APPLY THIS PROC WITH 2 ACFT GOING TO 2 DIFFERENT POSITIONS IS DANGEROUS AND THE ACFT SHOULD HAVE BEEN POINTED OUT SINCE BOTH CTLRS HAVE CTL FOR CLIMB. SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION FROM ACN 112571: ATX Y PASSED IN CLOSE PROX TO ACR X. BOTH ACFT HAD EACH OTHER IN SIGHT, BUT WERE NOT INSTRUCTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION.

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.