Less than standard separation between air carrier X and Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	127549
Time
Date	198911
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : syr
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 9000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny tracon : syr
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	127549
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was working the ggt sector at syr ATC tower. At time of occurrence, I was working 8 aircraft. Other sector was working 5 aircraft with no assistance (ie, handoff man, data man) in the room. Got busy quickly and we were unable to request help. IFR conditions. Shooting ILS approachs to runway 28, tops about 3500' and clear above. Air carrier X was wbound on V14 at 10000'. I had just completed traffic calls of 9000 and 11000' to air carrier X. During this time, I had also automated handoffs of 3 other aircraft to surrounding facs and set up 2 aircraft for approach. During this period, air carrier Y departed syr for vector to J59 swbound. I gave air carrier Y a left turn to 250 degrees to join and climb to 10000', and initiated handoff to ZNY. When air carrier Y was out of 7000', I switched him to ZNY, anticipating continued climb out of 10000'. Air carrier Y was approximately 15 mi southwest of syr in a good rate of climb. I switched another commuter to ZBW. His call sign was air carrier Z. When I scanned back to the southwest area, air carrier X and air carrier Y were approximately 10 mi apart and both at 10000', on crossing courses with airspds close to identical. This is where I mistakenly called air carrier X air carrier Z 3 times with no answer. I then called ZNY whom air carrier Y had not checked in with yet. They contacted air carrier Y and descended him to 9000'. I finally used correct call sign. Air carrier X advised air carrier Y in sight, 1 O'clock, 3 mi, descending through 9200'. Contributing factors: no assistance for workload, other sector too busy to scan my traffic, pilot's late frequency change or lack of contact with ZNY, leaving air carrier at 10000' longer than necessary, af personnel wandering around scopes, one person in training, and discussion louder than necessary. Prevention: closer vigilance on my part, more help and awareness from supervisor on shift, more eyes to scan, less background noise. Problems: C/a never activated to warn of possible problem (system only seems to work after aircraft have passed).

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR X AND Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE GGT SECTOR AT SYR ATC TWR. AT TIME OF OCCURRENCE, I WAS WORKING 8 ACFT. OTHER SECTOR WAS WORKING 5 ACFT WITH NO ASSISTANCE (IE, HDOF MAN, DATA MAN) IN THE ROOM. GOT BUSY QUICKLY AND WE WERE UNABLE TO REQUEST HELP. IFR CONDITIONS. SHOOTING ILS APCHS TO RWY 28, TOPS ABOUT 3500' AND CLR ABOVE. ACR X WAS WBOUND ON V14 AT 10000'. I HAD JUST COMPLETED TFC CALLS OF 9000 AND 11000' TO ACR X. DURING THIS TIME, I HAD ALSO AUTOMATED HDOFS OF 3 OTHER ACFT TO SURROUNDING FACS AND SET UP 2 ACFT FOR APCH. DURING THIS PERIOD, ACR Y DEPARTED SYR FOR VECTOR TO J59 SWBOUND. I GAVE ACR Y A LEFT TURN TO 250 DEGS TO JOIN AND CLB TO 10000', AND INITIATED HDOF TO ZNY. WHEN ACR Y WAS OUT OF 7000', I SWITCHED HIM TO ZNY, ANTICIPATING CONTINUED CLB OUT OF 10000'. ACR Y WAS APPROX 15 MI SW OF SYR IN A GOOD RATE OF CLB. I SWITCHED ANOTHER COMMUTER TO ZBW. HIS CALL SIGN WAS ACR Z. WHEN I SCANNED BACK TO THE SW AREA, ACR X AND ACR Y WERE APPROX 10 MI APART AND BOTH AT 10000', ON XING COURSES WITH AIRSPDS CLOSE TO IDENTICAL. THIS IS WHERE I MISTAKENLY CALLED ACR X ACR Z 3 TIMES WITH NO ANSWER. I THEN CALLED ZNY WHOM ACR Y HAD NOT CHKED IN WITH YET. THEY CONTACTED ACR Y AND DSNDED HIM TO 9000'. I FINALLY USED CORRECT CALL SIGN. ACR X ADVISED ACR Y IN SIGHT, 1 O'CLOCK, 3 MI, DSNDING THROUGH 9200'. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: NO ASSISTANCE FOR WORKLOAD, OTHER SECTOR TOO BUSY TO SCAN MY TFC, PLT'S LATE FREQ CHANGE OR LACK OF CONTACT WITH ZNY, LEAVING ACR AT 10000' LONGER THAN NECESSARY, AF PERSONNEL WANDERING AROUND SCOPES, ONE PERSON IN TRNING, AND DISCUSSION LOUDER THAN NECESSARY. PREVENTION: CLOSER VIGILANCE ON MY PART, MORE HELP AND AWARENESS FROM SUPVR ON SHIFT, MORE EYES TO SCAN, LESS BACKGROUND NOISE. PROBS: C/A NEVER ACTIVATED TO WARN OF POSSIBLE PROB (SYS ONLY SEEMS TO WORK AFTER ACFT HAVE PASSED).

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.