Oceanic controller had less than standard separation between aircraft on crossing courses over the a...

Attributes
ACN	164942
Time
Date	199012
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : orf
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : other oceanic enroute : atlantic enroute airway : zny
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : atlantic enroute : other oceanic
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : non radar
Qualification	controller : non radar
ASRS Report	164942
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 48000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Both aircraft were approved non rdar at FL310, and the 2 flight paths xed at approximately 373N/6600W. The main contributing factor was that the sector was very busy and the controller did not have enough time to scan the sector thoroughly. I discovered it when I took over the sector. I was scanning the sector to see what was needed to be done. When I realized that there might be a conflict I immediately call arinc and climbed the widebody transport X to FL330. I do not know how close the 2 aircraft (widebody transport X and widebody transport Y) were because it was in non radar airspace. I truely believe that if I had not see the conflict there might have been a midair collision this evening. Please I am begging you if you have any say in the matter, we are in dire need of some equipment to help us control the north atlantic skies. It is just a matter of time before there is a major midair. All we have is computer generated flight progress strips and we have to do all the traffic search, with the increase of volume I am afraid of what the future will bring.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OCEANIC CTLR HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACFT ON CROSSING COURSES OVER THE ATLANTIC.

Narrative: BOTH ACFT WERE APPROVED NON RDAR AT FL310, AND THE 2 FLT PATHS XED AT APPROX 373N/6600W. THE MAIN CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT THE SECTOR WAS VERY BUSY AND THE CTLR DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH TIME TO SCAN THE SECTOR THOROUGHLY. I DISCOVERED IT WHEN I TOOK OVER THE SECTOR. I WAS SCANNING THE SECTOR TO SEE WHAT WAS NEEDED TO BE DONE. WHEN I REALIZED THAT THERE MIGHT BE A CONFLICT I IMMEDIATELY CALL ARINC AND CLBED THE WDB X TO FL330. I DO NOT KNOW HOW CLOSE THE 2 ACFT (WDB X AND WDB Y) WERE BECAUSE IT WAS IN NON RADAR AIRSPACE. I TRUELY BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD NOT SEE THE CONFLICT THERE MIGHT HAVE BEEN A MIDAIR COLLISION THIS EVENING. PLEASE I AM BEGGING YOU IF YOU HAVE ANY SAY IN THE MATTER, WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SOME EQUIP TO HELP US CTL THE N ATLANTIC SKIES. IT IS JUST A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE THERE IS A MAJOR MIDAIR. ALL WE HAVE IS COMPUTER GENERATED FLT PROGRESS STRIPS AND WE HAVE TO DO ALL THE TFC SEARCH, WITH THE INCREASE OF VOLUME I AM AFRAID OF WHAT THE FUTURE WILL BRING.

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.

Oceanic controller had less than standard separation between aircraft on crossing courses over the atlantic.