Atx X had less than standard separation from atx Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	149636
Time
Date	199006
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	149636
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Early morning arrival rush with positions combined. The equipment started to malfunction which distracted my attention from turning some aircraft to final. Atx X got away and crossed the final and got close to atx Y on the other side. When it was brought to my attention, I turned atx X to avoid a conflict. The other controller turned atx Y the same way. There was training being conducted at the time. I think the problem could have been avoided by more attention being paid by the training instrument, positions decombined. Also equipment malfunctions didn't help.

Original NASA ASRS Text

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

Narrative: EARLY MORNING ARR RUSH WITH POSITIONS COMBINED. THE EQUIP STARTED TO MALFUNCTION WHICH DISTRACTED MY ATTN FROM TURNING SOME ACFT TO FINAL. ATX X GOT AWAY AND CROSSED THE FINAL AND GOT CLOSE TO ATX Y ON THE OTHER SIDE. WHEN IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTN, I TURNED ATX X TO AVOID A CONFLICT. THE OTHER CTLR TURNED ATX Y THE SAME WAY. THERE WAS TRNING BEING CONDUCTED AT THE TIME. I THINK THE PROB COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY MORE ATTN BEING PAID BY THE TRNING INSTR, POSITIONS DECOMBINED. ALSO EQUIP MALFUNCTIONS DIDN'T HELP.

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.