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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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An ARTCC radar controller cleared a B757 through an occupied altitude anticipating that the aircraft would be at his assigned altitude before the other aircraft was a factor. When the controller realized that separation may be jeopardized, his attempts to maintain separation were too late.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 384701 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199711 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sln |
| State Reference | KS |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 14 flight time total : 150 |
| ASRS Report | 384701 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was working sln high altitude sector 24 radar which include at and above FL240. Traffic was building rapidly, and the supervisor decided to open sector 41 which encompasses sector 24 airspace at and above FL370. I was in the process of giving a briefing to sector 41. During the briefing 2 aircraft called wanting to change altitudes because of chop or turbulence. Air carrier X made a second request for FL370 because he was getting pretty good chop. I replied to air carrier X it would be a couple of mins for passing traffic. When the first aircraft at FL350 passed air carrier X, I climbed air carrier X to FL370 and handed him off to sector 41. I then switched air carrier X to sector 41's frequency. When I realized air carrier X was not going to climb above air carrier Y in time, I turned air carrier Y 90 degrees right. I then told sector 41 to turn air carrier X 20 degrees then 90 degrees right and descend him for air carrier Y whom I was going to climb. I climbed air carrier Y to FL370. The 2 aircraft came within 4 mi of each other instead of the required 5 mi or 2000 ft. Once the aircraft passed I reclred air carrier Y on course.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLRED A B757 THROUGH AN OCCUPIED ALT ANTICIPATING THAT THE ACFT WOULD BE AT HIS ASSIGNED ALT BEFORE THE OTHER ACFT WAS A FACTOR. WHEN THE CTLR REALIZED THAT SEPARATION MAY BE JEOPARDIZED, HIS ATTEMPTS TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION WERE TOO LATE.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING SLN HIGH ALT SECTOR 24 RADAR WHICH INCLUDE AT AND ABOVE FL240. TFC WAS BUILDING RAPIDLY, AND THE SUPVR DECIDED TO OPEN SECTOR 41 WHICH ENCOMPASSES SECTOR 24 AIRSPACE AT AND ABOVE FL370. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF GIVING A BRIEFING TO SECTOR 41. DURING THE BRIEFING 2 ACFT CALLED WANTING TO CHANGE ALTS BECAUSE OF CHOP OR TURB. ACR X MADE A SECOND REQUEST FOR FL370 BECAUSE HE WAS GETTING PRETTY GOOD CHOP. I REPLIED TO ACR X IT WOULD BE A COUPLE OF MINS FOR PASSING TFC. WHEN THE FIRST ACFT AT FL350 PASSED ACR X, I CLBED ACR X TO FL370 AND HANDED HIM OFF TO SECTOR 41. I THEN SWITCHED ACR X TO SECTOR 41'S FREQ. WHEN I REALIZED ACR X WAS NOT GOING TO CLB ABOVE ACR Y IN TIME, I TURNED ACR Y 90 DEGS R. I THEN TOLD SECTOR 41 TO TURN ACR X 20 DEGS THEN 90 DEGS R AND DSND HIM FOR ACR Y WHOM I WAS GOING TO CLB. I CLBED ACR Y TO FL370. THE 2 ACFT CAME WITHIN 4 MI OF EACH OTHER INSTEAD OF THE REQUIRED 5 MI OR 2000 FT. ONCE THE ACFT PASSED I RECLRED ACR Y ON COURSE.
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.