37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Attributes | |
ACN | 1445897 |
Time | |
Date | 201705 |
Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
Place | |
Locale Reference | SAT.Airport |
State Reference | TX |
Environment | |
Flight Conditions | VMC |
Light | Daylight |
Aircraft 1 | |
Make Model Name | Medium Transport |
Flight Phase | Final Approach |
Route In Use | Visual Approach |
Flight Plan | IFR |
Aircraft 2 | |
Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
Flight Phase | Climb |
Route In Use | None |
Person 1 | |
Function | Approach |
Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 10 |
Events | |
Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy Deviation - Track / Heading All Types |
Narrative:
I was working apw [approach west] which is the final position for sat on a runway 13R/left flow. The weather was unrestricted VFR. I told aircraft X to follow an aircraft and cleared him for the visual approach. Aircraft X extended his base to a point that was taking him over 5c1. In the vicinity of 5c1 were multiple primary and secondary radar targets. As his separation increased to approximately 9 miles I inquired if he still had the aircraft in sight. At that moment; one of the primary aircraft's transponder turned on. The target was about 1 mile from aircraft X indicated 4500 feet converging rapidly. I immediately told aircraft X to turn right heading 090 immediately and issued the traffic alert. Aircraft X did not respond; but appeared to be turning and climbing. He later advised me he was responding to his TCAS advisory.there are a few things that could be done. We currently work in class C airspace; but due to the amount of departures we have we are not allowed to be a class B. I think if there were a waiver for this and we could be class B; we could more effectively control the traffic in and around this airport. Another option would be extending the class C so that at the very least they would have to be talking to us in order to climb that high and we could control them better from that perspective. The one thing I do know and I am not saying this lightly; if we do nothing it is not a matter of if a mishap will occur; it is a matter of when. 100%; if this problem is not addressed there will be a catastrophic breakdown in the safety of air traffic.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: SAT TRACON Controller reported of an unsafe issue when an aircraft on a visual approach was following traffic and became extended over another airport; and traffic around that airport.
Narrative: I was working APW [Approach West] which is the final position for SAT on a RWY 13R/L flow. The weather was unrestricted VFR. I told Aircraft X to follow an aircraft and cleared him for the visual approach. Aircraft X extended his base to a point that was taking him over 5C1. In the vicinity of 5C1 were multiple primary and secondary radar targets. As his separation increased to approximately 9 miles I inquired if he still had the aircraft in sight. At that moment; one of the primary aircraft's transponder turned on. The target was about 1 mile from Aircraft X indicated 4500 feet converging rapidly. I immediately told Aircraft X to turn right heading 090 immediately and issued the traffic alert. Aircraft X did not respond; but appeared to be turning and climbing. He later advised me he was responding to his TCAS advisory.There are a few things that could be done. We currently work in Class C airspace; but due to the amount of departures we have we are not allowed to be a Class B. I think if there were a waiver for this and we could be Class B; we could more effectively control the traffic in and around this airport. Another option would be extending the Class C so that at the very least they would have to be talking to us in order to climb that high and we could control them better from that perspective. The one thing I do know and I am not saying this lightly; if we do nothing it is not a matter of if a mishap will occur; it is a matter of when. 100%; if this problem is not addressed there will be a catastrophic breakdown in the safety of air traffic.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.