Possible less than standard separation between small transport X and Y due to ATC radio problems.

Attributes
ACN	130955
Time
Date	198912
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : roc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : roc
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 8
ASRS Report	130955
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
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	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

While backing a trnee on combined radar positions at roc ATC tower, small transport X was being vectored for visibility approach runway 22. Small transport X was at 3000'. Small transport Y departed runway 28 climbing to 10000'. A radar maintenance person (unauthorized) was replacing a bulb in radar position key pack. In so doing, several aircraft were not placed in handoff status and several things were incorrectly placed on data block. In the midst of the confusion, the 2 above aircraft were heading toward each other. Small transport Y was turned immediately to 220 degree heading. Small transport Y never acknowledged transmission nor turned. The small transport X was turned to 360 degrees heading immediately and traffic issued. Small transport Y was transmitted to for the third time and acknowledged the turn and traffic. Small transport Y saw small transport X and was put back on course leaving 4000'. It was not established if small transport Y heard the first 2 xmissions as traffic was mdt-heavy and complex. Radio receivers were on back-up due to severe static and break through, which has been reported for months. Reception of aircraft had been very weak on backup receivers and was reported to supervisory personnel. Incident was reported to supervisor. Barely 3 mi and then diverging courses was believed to have been maintained.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: POSSIBLE LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN SMT X AND Y DUE TO ATC RADIO PROBLEMS.

Narrative: WHILE BACKING A TRNEE ON COMBINED RADAR POSITIONS AT ROC ATC TWR, SMT X WAS BEING VECTORED FOR VIS APCH RWY 22. SMT X WAS AT 3000'. SMT Y DEPARTED RWY 28 CLBING TO 10000'. A RADAR MAINT PERSON (UNAUTH) WAS REPLACING A BULB IN RADAR POS KEY PACK. IN SO DOING, SEVERAL ACFT WERE NOT PLACED IN HDOF STATUS AND SEVERAL THINGS WERE INCORRECTLY PLACED ON DATA BLOCK. IN THE MIDST OF THE CONFUSION, THE 2 ABOVE ACFT WERE HDG TOWARD EACH OTHER. SMT Y WAS TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO 220 DEG HDG. SMT Y NEVER ACKNOWLEDGED XMISSION NOR TURNED. THE SMT X WAS TURNED TO 360 DEGS HDG IMMEDIATELY AND TFC ISSUED. SMT Y WAS XMITTED TO FOR THE THIRD TIME AND ACKNOWLEDGED THE TURN AND TFC. SMT Y SAW SMT X AND WAS PUT BACK ON COURSE LEAVING 4000'. IT WAS NOT ESTABLISHED IF SMT Y HEARD THE FIRST 2 XMISSIONS AS TFC WAS MDT-HVY AND COMPLEX. RADIO RECEIVERS WERE ON BACK-UP DUE TO SEVERE STATIC AND BREAK THROUGH, WHICH HAS BEEN RPTED FOR MONTHS. RECEPTION OF ACFT HAD BEEN VERY WEAK ON BACKUP RECEIVERS AND WAS RPTED TO SUPERVISORY PERSONNEL. INCIDENT WAS RPTED TO SUPVR. BARELY 3 MI AND THEN DIVERGING COURSES WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED.

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.