Approach controller vectoring aircraft around WX and for approach to runway 10L during busy period u...

Attributes
ACN	338902
Time
Date	199606
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : pit
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3800 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Dusk
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : pit
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	338902
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 1500 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The WX conditions were about as severe as I have ever worked with due to thunderstorms throughout the entire approach area. We had just completed one of many runway changes due to wind shifts and thunderstorms. I was vectoring 2 BE02 aircraft on right downwind to runway 10L. The first (air carrier X) was requesting turns north as soon as possible due to storms approximately 7-8 mi ahead. I had descended this aircraft to 4000 ft and given several 20 degree turns to his right to try and avoid the WX and avoid the other aircraft on final and on left base. At this point the trailing (by about 6 mi) BE02 (air carrier Y) requested an immediate turn northbound due to the storms. I could accommodate this request though I needed to stop the air carrier Y descent at 5000 ft MSL so as to avoid many other aircraft north of the final. In approving air carrier Y request I used air carrier X call sign, which air carrier X acknowledged and did, in doing so he climbed and turned north right at air carrier Z (D328). Both aircraft were issued evasive action to avert one another. I am not sure why I did what I did, the only explanation I can think of is that my mind was so intent on turning air carrier X before he got too close to the storms that when air carrier Y asked for the turn I used air carrier X call sign. Supplemental information from acn 339736: controller vectored us and the opposing aircraft close enough to cause an RA on our TCASII. We turned hard left and descended to 3000 ft while telling controller we were responding to an RA. Inexperienced controller vectored us and opposing aircraft too close to each other and between WX and OM.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR VECTORING ACFT AROUND WX AND FOR APCH TO RWY 10L DURING BUSY PERIOD USED WRONG CALL SIGN FOR A TURN AND ALT CHANGE. THE ACFT RESPONDED AS CLRED AND CAUSED LTSS WITH A THIRD ACFT WHO RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO A TCASII RA.

Narrative: THE WX CONDITIONS WERE ABOUT AS SEVERE AS I HAVE EVER WORKED WITH DUE TO TSTMS THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE APCH AREA. WE HAD JUST COMPLETED ONE OF MANY RWY CHANGES DUE TO WIND SHIFTS AND TSTMS. I WAS VECTORING 2 BE02 ACFT ON R DOWNWIND TO RWY 10L. THE FIRST (ACR X) WAS REQUESTING TURNS N ASAP DUE TO STORMS APPROX 7-8 MI AHEAD. I HAD DSNDED THIS ACFT TO 4000 FT AND GIVEN SEVERAL 20 DEG TURNS TO HIS R TO TRY AND AVOID THE WX AND AVOID THE OTHER ACFT ON FINAL AND ON L BASE. AT THIS POINT THE TRAILING (BY ABOUT 6 MI) BE02 (ACR Y) REQUESTED AN IMMEDIATE TURN NBOUND DUE TO THE STORMS. I COULD ACCOMMODATE THIS REQUEST THOUGH I NEEDED TO STOP THE ACR Y DSCNT AT 5000 FT MSL SO AS TO AVOID MANY OTHER ACFT N OF THE FINAL. IN APPROVING ACR Y REQUEST I USED ACR X CALL SIGN, WHICH ACR X ACKNOWLEDGED AND DID, IN DOING SO HE CLBED AND TURNED N RIGHT AT ACR Z (D328). BOTH ACFT WERE ISSUED EVASIVE ACTION TO AVERT ONE ANOTHER. I AM NOT SURE WHY I DID WHAT I DID, THE ONLY EXPLANATION I CAN THINK OF IS THAT MY MIND WAS SO INTENT ON TURNING ACR X BEFORE HE GOT TOO CLOSE TO THE STORMS THAT WHEN ACR Y ASKED FOR THE TURN I USED ACR X CALL SIGN. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 339736: CTLR VECTORED US AND THE OPPOSING ACFT CLOSE ENOUGH TO CAUSE AN RA ON OUR TCASII. WE TURNED HARD L AND DSNDED TO 3000 FT WHILE TELLING CTLR WE WERE RESPONDING TO AN RA. INEXPERIENCED CTLR VECTORED US AND OPPOSING ACFT TOO CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND BTWN WX AND OM.

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.

Approach controller vectoring aircraft around WX and for approach to runway 10L during busy period used wrong call sign for a turn and altitude change. The aircraft responded as cleared and caused less than standard separation with a third aircraft who received and responded to a TCASII RA.