 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Operational error. Less than standard separation between 2 commuter aircraft when wrong aircraft was turned for separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 336236 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199605 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zkc |
| State Reference | MO |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | SF 340A |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | SF 340A |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 336236 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was controling 2 SF34's inbound to fayetteville, ar. There was thunderstorm activity in the area and both planes were deviating trying to find an appropriate way to get to their destination. Air carrier Y was doing about 60-80 KTS faster than air carrier X so I put air carrier X on a vector that would put air carrier Y closer to their destination. I also issued air carrier Y a descent clearance to 8000 ft to position him for his upcoming approach. When air carrier X was what I thought far enough away that he wouldn't be a factor for air carrier Y, I issued a clearance permitting him to proceed direct fyv when able. Apparently, I miscalculated because air carrier X rapidly closed the spacing and I was forced to utilize radical vectors to affect separation. In the scramble I issued a turn to the wrong aircraft and ended up not turning the second one at all. I believe that the similarity of call signs may have contributed to this error.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: OPERROR. LTSS BTWN 2 COMMUTER ACFT WHEN WRONG ACFT WAS TURNED FOR SEPARATION.
Narrative: I WAS CTLING 2 SF34'S INBOUND TO FAYETTEVILLE, AR. THERE WAS TSTM ACTIVITY IN THE AREA AND BOTH PLANES WERE DEVIATING TRYING TO FIND AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO GET TO THEIR DEST. ACR Y WAS DOING ABOUT 60-80 KTS FASTER THAN ACR X SO I PUT ACR X ON A VECTOR THAT WOULD PUT ACR Y CLOSER TO THEIR DEST. I ALSO ISSUED ACR Y A DSCNT CLRNC TO 8000 FT TO POS HIM FOR HIS UPCOMING APCH. WHEN ACR X WAS WHAT I THOUGHT FAR ENOUGH AWAY THAT HE WOULDN'T BE A FACTOR FOR ACR Y, I ISSUED A CLRNC PERMITTING HIM TO PROCEED DIRECT FYV WHEN ABLE. APPARENTLY, I MISCALCULATED BECAUSE ACR X RAPIDLY CLOSED THE SPACING AND I WAS FORCED TO UTILIZE RADICAL VECTORS TO AFFECT SEPARATION. IN THE SCRAMBLE I ISSUED A TURN TO THE WRONG ACFT AND ENDED UP NOT TURNING THE SECOND ONE AT ALL. I BELIEVE THAT THE SIMILARITY OF CALL SIGNS MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR.
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.