Air carrier X had less than standard separation from small aircraft Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	142043
Time
Date	199004
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : clt
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : ztl tracon : clt tracon : n90
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
Make Model Name	Small Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	142043
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 24000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Inter Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error

Narrative:

While working west arrival position at clt ATCT, air carrier X called, saying he was leveling at 5000' and it was a lot smoother. There was no ARTS tag, so I attempted to extract the aircraft transponder code from the coast list. After giving the code to the aircraft he informed me he had been having trouble with his transponder. At the time I had approximately 7 other aircraft on my frequency which needed my attention. I told air carrier X to remain outside 30 mi until I could identify him and find out where he was. Air carrier X made a 360 degree turn in ZTL airspace with less than 5 mi from xma Y under center's control. The 5000' altitude was not the practiced procedure inbound to clt from ZTL. 7000 and 9000' are the normal altitudes. My supervisor was called over to assist me in identing air carrier X and coordinate with ZTL. 4000' altitude was issued to air carrier X by me while ZTL climbed small aircraft Y to 6000'. If the aircraft had been assigned the normal inbound altitudes, or coordinated prior to being turned over to me, then the situation would not have occurred.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION FROM SMA Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING W ARR POS AT CLT ATCT, ACR X CALLED, SAYING HE WAS LEVELING AT 5000' AND IT WAS A LOT SMOOTHER. THERE WAS NO ARTS TAG, SO I ATTEMPTED TO EXTRACT THE ACFT XPONDER CODE FROM THE COAST LIST. AFTER GIVING THE CODE TO THE ACFT HE INFORMED ME HE HAD BEEN HAVING TROUBLE WITH HIS XPONDER. AT THE TIME I HAD APPROX 7 OTHER ACFT ON MY FREQ WHICH NEEDED MY ATTN. I TOLD ACR X TO REMAIN OUTSIDE 30 MI UNTIL I COULD IDENT HIM AND FIND OUT WHERE HE WAS. ACR X MADE A 360 DEG TURN IN ZTL AIRSPACE WITH LESS THAN 5 MI FROM XMA Y UNDER CENTER'S CTL. THE 5000' ALT WAS NOT THE PRACTICED PROC INBND TO CLT FROM ZTL. 7000 AND 9000' ARE THE NORMAL ALTS. MY SUPVR WAS CALLED OVER TO ASSIST ME IN IDENTING ACR X AND COORDINATE WITH ZTL. 4000' ALT WAS ISSUED TO ACR X BY ME WHILE ZTL CLBED SMA Y TO 6000'. IF THE ACFT HAD BEEN ASSIGNED THE NORMAL INBND ALTS, OR COORDINATED PRIOR TO BEING TURNED OVER TO ME, THEN THE SITUATION WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.