Controller's frequency failed which resulted in loss of separation between two pairs of aircraft.

Attributes
ACN	154304
Time
Date	199008
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dca
State Reference	DC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dca
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	154304
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	154406
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure
Situations
ATC Facility	other physical facility

Narrative:

West departure frequency 118.95 at dca failed again resulting in a medium large transport X climbing out dca 328 degree right to 17000'. When crossing iad eastbound the departure had to be climbed and turned immediately to avoid medium large transport X. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information. Reporter stated that he had filed a ucr on the failure of the departure frequency. Since the ucr, the frequency has not failed. He said the primary equipment is located at this facility and the back up is located at adjacent facility. The controllers must call that facility to activate the back up equipment. There is a time lag in changing the equipment either way. When the frequency failed he was working the high west departure. He observed less than standard separation between aircraft involved. He does not know if reports were filed regarding the loss of sep.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR'S FREQ FAILED WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO PAIRS OF ACFT.

Narrative: W DEP FREQ 118.95 AT DCA FAILED AGAIN RESULTING IN A MLG X CLBING OUT DCA 328 DEG R TO 17000'. WHEN XING IAD EBND THE DEP HAD TO BE CLBED AND TURNED IMMEDIATELY TO AVOID MLG X. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR STATED THAT HE HAD FILED A UCR ON THE FAILURE OF THE DEP FREQ. SINCE THE UCR, THE FREQ HAS NOT FAILED. HE SAID THE PRIMARY EQUIP IS LOCATED AT THIS FAC AND THE BACK UP IS LOCATED AT ADJACENT FAC. THE CTLRS MUST CALL THAT FAC TO ACTIVATE THE BACK UP EQUIP. THERE IS A TIME LAG IN CHANGING THE EQUIP EITHER WAY. WHEN THE FREQ FAILED HE WAS WORKING THE HIGH W DEP. HE OBSERVED LTSS BTWN ACFT INVOLVED. HE DOES NOT KNOW IF RPTS WERE FILED REGARDING THE LOSS OF SEP.

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.