operational error

Attributes
ACN	286220
Time
Date	199410
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : and
State Reference	SC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : gsp
Make Model Name	DC-3/Dakota/Skytrain
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Cessna Aircraft Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	286220
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
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 : unable other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft 'a' (a DC3) was flying northeast and aircraft 'B' (C182) southwest north of the electric city VOR. The 2 aircraft passed off the other ones left side at a distance of 1/2 mi. The problem arose due to: approval of an unusual situation in which 'B' was at the wrong altitude for direction of flight. Contributing factor: 2 aircraft on frequency with similar sounding call signs, a high speed military aircraft unable to enter IR074 training route just prior, a large number of radar handoffs coming from the southwest and their data blocks were overlapping for some time. I'm a newly qualified radar controller. Corrective action taken: I told the aircraft 'B' to turn right heading 090 degrees immediately prior to the loss of separation. Aircraft did not appear to turn and passed off aircraft 'a's' left side.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR

Narrative: ACFT 'A' (A DC3) WAS FLYING NE AND ACFT 'B' (C182) SW N OF THE ELECTRIC CITY VOR. THE 2 ACFT PASSED OFF THE OTHER ONES L SIDE AT A DISTANCE OF 1/2 MI. THE PROB AROSE DUE TO: APPROVAL OF AN UNUSUAL SIT IN WHICH 'B' WAS AT THE WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR: 2 ACFT ON FREQ WITH SIMILAR SOUNDING CALL SIGNS, A HIGH SPD MIL ACFT UNABLE TO ENTER IR074 TRAINING RTE JUST PRIOR, A LARGE NUMBER OF RADAR HDOFS COMING FROM THE SW AND THEIR DATA BLOCKS WERE OVERLAPPING FOR SOME TIME. I'M A NEWLY QUALIFIED RADAR CTLR. CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN: I TOLD THE ACFT 'B' TO TURN R HDG 090 DEGS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THE LOSS OF SEPARATION. ACFT DID NOT APPEAR TO TURN AND PASSED OFF ACFT 'A'S' L SIDE.

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.