Intrafac coordination error.

Attributes
ACN	295222
Time
Date	199502
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sfo
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dawn
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : oak
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Jetstream 31
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival other enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	295222
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

I was holding 2 aircraft waiting for pilot requested RVR requirements. When RVR conditions improved to pilot requirements, I asked pilots if they were ready to commence the approach and they responded yes. After initiating a handoff to the next sector and the handoff being accepted, I initiated a pointout request for sequence and approach authorization. Having believed that the pointout was approved, I cleared the closest aircraft for the approach and shipped him to the tower. During this time I was vectoring the second aircraft for the approach from holding. An adjacent sector was also holding and I observed their aircraft on a vector to follow mine. I had placed 'rgt' in the data block indicating that the aircraft was cleared for approach. I then observed other aircraft on a converging heading. I issued traffic, canceled approach clearance and issued instructions away from converging aircraft. Miscom and improper coordination procedures were factors in the occurrence, more knowledge of holding procedures may have prevented this situation from happening, ie, adjacent sectors. More attention to detail and observation of data blocks may also have prevented this situation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: INTRAFAC COORD ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS HOLDING 2 ACFT WAITING FOR PLT REQUESTED RVR REQUIREMENTS. WHEN RVR CONDITIONS IMPROVED TO PLT REQUIREMENTS, I ASKED PLTS IF THEY WERE READY TO COMMENCE THE APCH AND THEY RESPONDED YES. AFTER INITIATING A HDOF TO THE NEXT SECTOR AND THE HDOF BEING ACCEPTED, I INITIATED A POINTOUT REQUEST FOR SEQUENCE AND APCH AUTHORIZATION. HAVING BELIEVED THAT THE POINTOUT WAS APPROVED, I CLRED THE CLOSEST ACFT FOR THE APCH AND SHIPPED HIM TO THE TWR. DURING THIS TIME I WAS VECTORING THE SECOND ACFT FOR THE APCH FROM HOLDING. AN ADJACENT SECTOR WAS ALSO HOLDING AND I OBSERVED THEIR ACFT ON A VECTOR TO FOLLOW MINE. I HAD PLACED 'RGT' IN THE DATA BLOCK INDICATING THAT THE ACFT WAS CLRED FOR APCH. I THEN OBSERVED OTHER ACFT ON A CONVERGING HDG. I ISSUED TFC, CANCELED APCH CLRNC AND ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS AWAY FROM CONVERGING ACFT. MISCOM AND IMPROPER COORD PROCS WERE FACTORS IN THE OCCURRENCE, MORE KNOWLEDGE OF HOLDING PROCS MAY HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT FROM HAPPENING, IE, ADJACENT SECTORS. MORE ATTN TO DETAIL AND OBSERVATION OF DATA BLOCKS MAY ALSO HAVE PREVENTED THIS SIT.

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.