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Radar vector issued to avoid aircraft deviating around WX. Possible loss of standard separation. Possible operational error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 117479 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198907 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fkn |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 15000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute : direct enroute airway : ztl |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 7550 flight time type : 700 |
| ASRS Report | 117479 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Ambiguous |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
After a 45 minute delay due to ZTL radar going down, we departed on air carrier X from norfolk, va (orf) for charlotte, nc (clt). All flts were held on ground until approximately XXXX local. We were #5 for takeoff. After takeoff we were switched to departure and given a clearance direct to rdu (raleigh-durham) climb to 16,000'. We were then switched to ZTL where we tried 3 times to establish contact without success (there were 2 other aircraft trying as well). ATC then called us saying turn left immediately to 150 degree traffic 12 O'clock (present heading was 270 degree). We continued to climb to our assigned altitude with conflicting aircraft Y in sight (about 2-3 miles). The next clearance was to 180 degree till 15,000' then direct to XXX on course. Upon inquiring: we were told that jet traffic in front of us was deviating around WX without this controller's permission (mixup in communication between two center frequencys). We were cleared back on course after we got in trail spacing and the flight continued uneventfully. I think poor communication between the 2 controllers who were responsible for the other aircraft is a contributing factor, as well as poor communication between the controller and the pilots of the other aircraft. A third factor that could have contributed to this was saturation of the airspace (5 departures in 10 mins, approximately) immediately after center radar failure.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RADAR VECTOR ISSUED TO AVOID ACFT DEVIATING AROUND WX. POSSIBLE LOSS OF STANDARD SEPARATION. POSSIBLE OPERATIONAL ERROR.
Narrative: AFTER A 45 MINUTE DELAY DUE TO ZTL RADAR GOING DOWN, WE DEPARTED ON ACR X FROM NORFOLK, VA (ORF) FOR CHARLOTTE, NC (CLT). ALL FLTS WERE HELD ON GND UNTIL APPROX XXXX LOCAL. WE WERE #5 FOR TKOF. AFTER TKOF WE WERE SWITCHED TO DEP AND GIVEN A CLRNC DIRECT TO RDU (RALEIGH-DURHAM) CLIMB TO 16,000'. WE WERE THEN SWITCHED TO ZTL WHERE WE TRIED 3 TIMES TO ESTABLISH CONTACT WITHOUT SUCCESS (THERE WERE 2 OTHER ACFT TRYING AS WELL). ATC THEN CALLED US SAYING TURN LEFT IMMEDIATELY TO 150 DEG TFC 12 O'CLOCK (PRESENT HDG WAS 270 DEG). WE CONTINUED TO CLIMB TO OUR ASSIGNED ALT WITH CONFLICTING ACFT Y IN SIGHT (ABOUT 2-3 MILES). THE NEXT CLRNC WAS TO 180 DEG TILL 15,000' THEN DIRECT TO XXX ON COURSE. UPON INQUIRING: WE WERE TOLD THAT JET TFC IN FRONT OF US WAS DEVIATING AROUND WX WITHOUT THIS CTLR'S PERMISSION (MIXUP IN COM BETWEEN TWO CENTER FREQS). WE WERE CLRED BACK ON COURSE AFTER WE GOT IN TRAIL SPACING AND THE FLT CONTINUED UNEVENTFULLY. I THINK POOR COM BETWEEN THE 2 CTLRS WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OTHER ACFT IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, AS WELL AS POOR COM BETWEEN THE CTLR AND THE PLTS OF THE OTHER ACFT. A THIRD FACTOR THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS WAS SATURATION OF THE AIRSPACE (5 DEPS IN 10 MINS, APPROX) IMMEDIATELY AFTER CENTER RADAR FAILURE.
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.