Approach controller working moderate to heavy traffic almost had a less than standard separation occ...

Attributes
ACN	195392
Time
Date	199111
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : frg
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng
Navigation In Use	Other Other
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	195392
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 18000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	other

Narrative:

I was working 2 combined positions final vector and arrival fix as well as a satellite airport (frg). It was beginning to get complex and I was moderately to heavily busy. There were 2 aircraft on converging courses 1 at 4000 nebound an light transport X and a widebody transport Y nwbound descending to 4000 ft. I became distraction because the sequencer was coordinating a runway change with me and another controller was pointing out an aircraft to me. When I looked back at the scope I noticed that the 2 aircraft were on conflicting courses about 5 mi apart. I descended the light transport X to 2000 ft and called traffic to both aircraft. The light transport X descended quickly and the widebody transport Y pilot reported him in sight and I instructed him to maintain visual separation. Had I not looked up at the scope when I did, it would have been too late to correct the situation. The moral of the story is that you shouldn't take your eyes off the radar scope when you are as busy as I was and I should have asked for the positions to be decombined when I realized that I was getting too busy.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR WORKING MODERATE TO HVY TFC ALMOST HAD A LTSS OCCURRENCE DUE TO LACK OF VIGILANCE.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING 2 COMBINED POSITIONS FINAL VECTOR AND ARR FIX AS WELL AS A SATELLITE ARPT (FRG). IT WAS BEGINNING TO GET COMPLEX AND I WAS MODERATELY TO HEAVILY BUSY. THERE WERE 2 ACFT ON CONVERGING COURSES 1 AT 4000 NEBOUND AN LTT X AND A WDB Y NWBOUND DSNDING TO 4000 FT. I BECAME DISTR BECAUSE THE SEQUENCER WAS COORDINATING A RWY CHANGE WITH ME AND ANOTHER CTLR WAS POINTING OUT AN ACFT TO ME. WHEN I LOOKED BACK AT THE SCOPE I NOTICED THAT THE 2 ACFT WERE ON CONFLICTING COURSES ABOUT 5 MI APART. I DSNDED THE LTT X TO 2000 FT AND CALLED TFC TO BOTH ACFT. THE LTT X DSNDED QUICKLY AND THE WDB Y PLT RPTED HIM IN SIGHT AND I INSTRUCTED HIM TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION. HAD I NOT LOOKED UP AT THE SCOPE WHEN I DID, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO LATE TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. THE MORAL OF THE STORY IS THAT YOU SHOULDN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE RADAR SCOPE WHEN YOU ARE AS BUSY AS I WAS AND I SHOULD HAVE ASKED FOR THE POSITIONS TO BE DECOMBINED WHEN I REALIZED THAT I WAS GETTING TOO BUSY.

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.

Approach controller working moderate to heavy traffic almost had a less than standard separation occurrence due to lack of vigilance.