Due to data block overlapping, TRACON final approach controller fails to turn an SF34 onto parallel final at dfw. The SF34 conflicts with an MD80 being worked by an adjoining approach controller sector. The SF34's TCASII evasive action alerts final approach controller, and both aircraft are vectored onto final approach courses for landing.

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Attributes
ACN	395666
Time
Date	199803
Day	Sat
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dfw
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dfw
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Saab-Scania Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller radar : 16
ASRS Report	395660
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach instruction : trainee
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 14 controller radar : 14
ASRS Report	395758
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance flight crew : returned to intended course or assigned course other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 10200 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft X, an SF34, nwbound on modified downwind, towards final. Aircraft Y, an MD80, on final to runway 17C at 5000 ft. Had equipment problems with another aircraft on downwind. While trying to fix that problem, I forgot to turn aircraft X to 350 degrees downwind heading. Aircraft X continued nwbound towards aircraft Y. TCASII helped resolve the deal after the arrival controller next to me, alerted me about aircraft X. I could not find the aircraft for all the data tag overlap on final. I believe, if we had color scopes as requested, I could have found aircraft X quicker, and turned him to avoid a conflict. Supplemental information from acn 395758: a data tag on aircraft Y would not swap over from a west direction to an east direction. This was something my trainer and I were trying to rectify. The problem was not resolved. The frequency had bleed- over on the main just prior to the occurrence. We were trying to check the standby frequency for bleed-over. The data tags were overlapping constantly, so the situation wasn't recognized until the last moment. Conflict alert didn't activate until the aircraft were well inside minimum separation.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DUE TO DATA BLOCK OVERLAPPING, TRACON FINAL APCH CTLR FAILS TO TURN AN SF34 ONTO PARALLEL FINAL AT DFW. THE SF34 CONFLICTS WITH AN MD80 BEING WORKED BY AN ADJOINING APCH CTLR SECTOR. THE SF34'S TCASII EVASIVE ACTION ALERTS FINAL APCH CTLR, AND BOTH ACFT ARE VECTORED ONTO FINAL APCH COURSES FOR LNDG.

Narrative: ACFT X, AN SF34, NWBOUND ON MODIFIED DOWNWIND, TOWARDS FINAL. ACFT Y, AN MD80, ON FINAL TO RWY 17C AT 5000 FT. HAD EQUIP PROBS WITH ANOTHER ACFT ON DOWNWIND. WHILE TRYING TO FIX THAT PROB, I FORGOT TO TURN ACFT X TO 350 DEGS DOWNWIND HEADING. ACFT X CONTINUED NWBOUND TOWARDS ACFT Y. TCASII HELPED RESOLVE THE DEAL AFTER THE ARR CTLR NEXT TO ME, ALERTED ME ABOUT ACFT X. I COULD NOT FIND THE ACFT FOR ALL THE DATA TAG OVERLAP ON FINAL. I BELIEVE, IF WE HAD COLOR SCOPES AS REQUESTED, I COULD HAVE FOUND ACFT X QUICKER, AND TURNED HIM TO AVOID A CONFLICT. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 395758: A DATA TAG ON ACFT Y WOULD NOT SWAP OVER FROM A W DIRECTION TO AN E DIRECTION. THIS WAS SOMETHING MY TRAINER AND I WERE TRYING TO RECTIFY. THE PROB WAS NOT RESOLVED. THE FREQ HAD BLEED- OVER ON THE MAIN JUST PRIOR TO THE OCCURRENCE. WE WERE TRYING TO CHK THE STANDBY FREQ FOR BLEED-OVER. THE DATA TAGS WERE OVERLAPPING CONSTANTLY, SO THE SIT WASN'T RECOGNIZED UNTIL THE LAST MOMENT. CONFLICT ALERT DIDN'T ACTIVATE UNTIL THE ACFT WERE WELL INSIDE MINIMUM SEPARATION.

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.