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Controller failed to provide standard separation between air carrier X and Y. Less than standard separation. System error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 121021 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198908 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bdl |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 21000 msl bound upper : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 121021 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 121282 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 21000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Air carrier X, an medium large transport climbing swbnd to FL230. Working another sector I took a pointout on. My radar associate working at my sector with me told me that air carrier Y, an medium large transport, would be heading 110 degrees and descending to FL210. I then took the handoff on air carrier X. The track was consistent with the 110 degree heading. When air carrier X came onto the frequency, it appeared to be turning to a southeast-erly direction. Our radar tends to jump around a bit, so I asked my 'RA' what he had approved to make sure. He said that air carrier X was heading 150 degrees, which wasn't good. I turned air carrier X left to a heading of 090 degrees. The pilot questioned the turn and I then turned air carrier X immediately left, heading 040 degrees. Standard sep was lost as the aircraft passed about 3.5 mi from each other going through FL210 climbing and descending. The problem was the non understanding of the approved heading and bdl VOR for being OTS during the day. Supplemental information from acn 121282: a factor which I believe contributed to the error was when the pilot was given the 40 degree heading, he questioned why he needed to turn and asked if he could descend. The controller finally had to tell him to turn immediately. By the pilot questioning the turn, valuable time was lost.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: CTLR FAILED TO PROVIDE STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR X AND Y. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. SYSTEM ERROR.
Narrative: ACR X, AN MLG CLBING SWBND TO FL230. WORKING ANOTHER SECTOR I TOOK A POINTOUT ON. MY RADAR ASSOCIATE WORKING AT MY SECTOR WITH ME TOLD ME THAT ACR Y, AN MLG, WOULD BE HDG 110 DEGS AND DSNDING TO FL210. I THEN TOOK THE HDOF ON ACR X. THE TRACK WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE 110 DEG HDG. WHEN ACR X CAME ONTO THE FREQ, IT APPEARED TO BE TURNING TO A SE-ERLY DIRECTION. OUR RADAR TENDS TO JUMP AROUND A BIT, SO I ASKED MY 'RA' WHAT HE HAD APPROVED TO MAKE SURE. HE SAID THAT ACR X WAS HDG 150 DEGS, WHICH WASN'T GOOD. I TURNED ACR X LEFT TO A HDG OF 090 DEGS. THE PLT QUESTIONED THE TURN AND I THEN TURNED ACR X IMMEDIATELY LEFT, HDG 040 DEGS. STANDARD SEP WAS LOST AS THE ACFT PASSED ABOUT 3.5 MI FROM EACH OTHER GOING THROUGH FL210 CLBING AND DSNDING. THE PROB WAS THE NON UNDERSTANDING OF THE APPROVED HDG AND BDL VOR FOR BEING OTS DURING THE DAY. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 121282: A FACTOR WHICH I BELIEVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE ERROR WAS WHEN THE PLT WAS GIVEN THE 40 DEG HDG, HE QUESTIONED WHY HE NEEDED TO TURN AND ASKED IF HE COULD DSND. THE CTLR FINALLY HAD TO TELL HIM TO TURN IMMEDIATELY. BY THE PLT QUESTIONING THE TURN, VALUABLE TIME WAS LOST.
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.