<< >> NASA ASRS Report 337939, June 1996

Approach controller working a flight of 2 T37's on a recovery to reese AFB saw conflict alert activate on a VFR C172 that was traversing his airspace without a point-out or handoff. Reporter had T37 flight climb and saw the C172 and T37 flight targets merge.

Attributes
ACN	337939
Time
Date	199606
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lbb airport : ree
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10200 msl bound upper : 10600
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lbb
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	VFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Cessna 318 (T-37)
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	337939
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : nmac non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

A T37 flight was working in a reese 4 sub area. The flight requested recovery to reese at approximately 3 mi outside his sub area. Just as I responded to the T37 flight who was descending out of 10600 ft MSL, the conflict alert sounded on a cessna 172 at 10200 ft. The cessna was under the control of another controller, and well inside my airspace with no handoff or point out accomplished. I instructed the flight of 2 T37's to climb immediately to 11000 ft MSL to miss the cessna. At closest proximity the radar beacon slashes were overlapping with no vertical separation. I did not report this incident to the watch supervisor, as she was watching traffic from the radar west position and had to have seen the incident occur. Even though there was a loss of separation and near mid- air the supervisor failed to take any action. Additionally, I feared reprisal for bringing the incident out into the open.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR WORKING A FLT OF 2 T37'S ON A RECOVERY TO REESE AFB SAW CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATE ON A VFR C172 THAT WAS TRAVERSING HIS AIRSPACE WITHOUT A POINT-OUT OR HDOF. RPTR HAD T37 FLT CLB AND SAW THE C172 AND T37 FLT TARGETS MERGE.

Narrative: A T37 FLT WAS WORKING IN A REESE 4 SUB AREA. THE FLT REQUESTED RECOVERY TO REESE AT APPROX 3 MI OUTSIDE HIS SUB AREA. JUST AS I RESPONDED TO THE T37 FLT WHO WAS DSNDING OUT OF 10600 FT MSL, THE CONFLICT ALERT SOUNDED ON A CESSNA 172 AT 10200 FT. THE CESSNA WAS UNDER THE CTL OF ANOTHER CTLR, AND WELL INSIDE MY AIRSPACE WITH NO HDOF OR POINT OUT ACCOMPLISHED. I INSTRUCTED THE FLT OF 2 T37'S TO CLB IMMEDIATELY TO 11000 FT MSL TO MISS THE CESSNA. AT CLOSEST PROX THE RADAR BEACON SLASHES WERE OVERLAPPING WITH NO VERT SEPARATION. I DID NOT RPT THIS INCIDENT TO THE WATCH SUPVR, AS SHE WAS WATCHING TFC FROM THE RADAR W POS AND HAD TO HAVE SEEN THE INCIDENT OCCUR. EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A LOSS OF SEPARATION AND NEAR MID- AIR THE SUPVR FAILED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. ADDITIONALLY, I FEARED REPRISAL FOR BRINGING THE INCIDENT OUT INTO THE OPEN.

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.