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Reporter was attempting a position reconfign test which caused a temporary communication outage resulting in an operational error. Area supervisor intervened and helped restore communication, but not before separation was lost.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 332227 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199603 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lbb |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : lbb |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach landing other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 332227 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : supervisor |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : nmac other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was asked to reconfigure the new rdvs equipment at my position when traffic allowed. After approximately 5-10 mins, I asked the pps standing behind me if there was only 1 button to push to turn my frequencys back on after pushing the reconfigure button. The area supervisor answered the question 'yes.' I pointed to the button I was referring to. After traffic slowed I pushed the reconfigure button, and started pushing the buttons I was told would activate my frequencys. I then proceeded to communicate with traffic, but got no reply. The pps nor the area supervisor could find the problem. I unplugged my headset and handed the plug-in to the pps and told him to plug me into the next position and key up those frequencys. They wouldn't work either. Finally the area supervisor doing the reconfigure told us to key up other buttons and 2-WAY communication was restored. Apparently we do not know enough about the system to be playing with it when it may affect operations. Aircraft were issued TA to no avail. Aircraft #1 was observed climbing over aircraft #2 before continuing descent.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: RPTR WAS ATTEMPTING A POS RECONFIGN TEST WHICH CAUSED A TEMPORARY COM OUTAGE RESULTING IN AN OPERROR. AREA SUPVR INTERVENED AND HELPED RESTORE COM, BUT NOT BEFORE SEPARATION WAS LOST.
Narrative: I WAS ASKED TO RECONFIGURE THE NEW RDVS EQUIP AT MY POS WHEN TFC ALLOWED. AFTER APPROX 5-10 MINS, I ASKED THE PPS STANDING BEHIND ME IF THERE WAS ONLY 1 BUTTON TO PUSH TO TURN MY FREQS BACK ON AFTER PUSHING THE RECONFIGURE BUTTON. THE AREA SUPVR ANSWERED THE QUESTION 'YES.' I POINTED TO THE BUTTON I WAS REFERRING TO. AFTER TFC SLOWED I PUSHED THE RECONFIGURE BUTTON, AND STARTED PUSHING THE BUTTONS I WAS TOLD WOULD ACTIVATE MY FREQS. I THEN PROCEEDED TO COMMUNICATE WITH TFC, BUT GOT NO REPLY. THE PPS NOR THE AREA SUPVR COULD FIND THE PROB. I UNPLUGGED MY HEADSET AND HANDED THE PLUG-IN TO THE PPS AND TOLD HIM TO PLUG ME INTO THE NEXT POS AND KEY UP THOSE FREQS. THEY WOULDN'T WORK EITHER. FINALLY THE AREA SUPVR DOING THE RECONFIGURE TOLD US TO KEY UP OTHER BUTTONS AND 2-WAY COM WAS RESTORED. APPARENTLY WE DO NOT KNOW ENOUGH ABOUT THE SYS TO BE PLAYING WITH IT WHEN IT MAY AFFECT OPS. ACFT WERE ISSUED TA TO NO AVAIL. ACFT #1 WAS OBSERVED CLBING OVER ACFT #2 BEFORE CONTINUING DSCNT.
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.