TRACON approach controller issued instructions to the wrong aircraft which resulted in less than sta...

Attributes
ACN	176290
Time
Date	199104
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : psc
State Reference	WA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Fixed Gear
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : psc
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	176290
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : private pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft a eastbound on arwy at 7000', aircraft B westbound on same arwy climbing to 6000'. After receiving control of aircraft a from ARTCC (aircraft was outside my airspace) I descended him to 5000' (at pilots discretion). The transponder on aircraft a was intermittent. When the two aircraft were approximately 6 mi apart I asked aircraft a his altitude, he responded 6200'. I thought I gave aircraft B a right turn heading 330 degree (after receiving the tapes I gave that heading to aircraft a). I then immediately gave aircraft a a right turn heading 120. Aircraft B stayed on course. The aircraft passed 1 1/2 to 2 mi laterally and approximately 200' vertically.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: TRACON APCH CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS TO THE WRONG ACFT WHICH RESULTED IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: ACFT A EBND ON ARWY AT 7000', ACFT B WBND ON SAME ARWY CLBING TO 6000'. AFTER RECEIVING CTL OF ACFT A FROM ARTCC (ACFT WAS OUTSIDE MY AIRSPACE) I DSNDED HIM TO 5000' (AT PLTS DISCRETION). THE XPONDER ON ACFT A WAS INTERMITTENT. WHEN THE TWO ACFT WERE APPROX 6 MI APART I ASKED ACFT A HIS ALT, HE RESPONDED 6200'. I THOUGHT I GAVE ACFT B A R TURN HDG 330 DEG (AFTER RECEIVING THE TAPES I GAVE THAT HDG TO ACFT A). I THEN IMMEDIATELY GAVE ACFT A A R TURN HDG 120. ACFT B STAYED ON COURSE. THE ACFT PASSED 1 1/2 TO 2 MI LATERALLY AND APPROX 200' VERTICALLY.

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.

TRACON approach controller issued instructions to the wrong aircraft which resulted in less than standard separation.