A TRACON controller radar allowed 3 air carrier aircraft on radar vectors to get closer than 3 mi apart while maneuvering for the approach course. The reporter claims that the primary cause was too many aircraft being worked by one controller.

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Attributes
ACN	394042
Time
Date	199802
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
Locale Reference	airport : iln
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : day
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 8 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 35 controller supervisory : 1
ASRS Report	394042
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 other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While working as a final controller on a busy late night freight arrival phase I inadvertently allowed 3 aircraft, maneuvering to maintain spacing and intercepting the localizer to come into less than standard separation (3 mi or 1000 ft). The primary cause I believe to be too many aircraft being worked by one controller, especially straight-INS versus downwind/base traffic. Compounding elements were poor pilot response to instructions requiring multiple xmissions plus faulty radar data and a loss of ARTS data. The solution to this and similar sits is improved traffic management.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A TRACON CTLR RADAR ALLOWED 3 ACR ACFT ON RADAR VECTORS TO GET CLOSER THAN 3 MI APART WHILE MANEUVERING FOR THE APCH COURSE. THE RPTR CLAIMS THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE WAS TOO MANY ACFT BEING WORKED BY ONE CTLR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING AS A FINAL CTLR ON A BUSY LATE NIGHT FREIGHT ARR PHASE I INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED 3 ACFT, MANEUVERING TO MAINTAIN SPACING AND INTERCEPTING THE LOC TO COME INTO LTSS (3 MI OR 1000 FT). THE PRIMARY CAUSE I BELIEVE TO BE TOO MANY ACFT BEING WORKED BY ONE CTLR, ESPECIALLY STRAIGHT-INS VERSUS DOWNWIND/BASE TFC. COMPOUNDING ELEMENTS WERE POOR PLT RESPONSE TO INSTRUCTIONS REQUIRING MULTIPLE XMISSIONS PLUS FAULTY RADAR DATA AND A LOSS OF ARTS DATA. THE SOLUTION TO THIS AND SIMILAR SITS IS IMPROVED TFC MGMNT.

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.