 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
An air carrier DC9 was cleared direct ewc VORTAC and made an unauthorized 70 degree turn to the east creating a potential conflict with an air carrier BA31. Controller noticed the DC9 turn after doing some other tasks and was able to vector the aircraft to maintain separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 409270 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199807 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mmj airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6500 msl bound upper : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pit |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Jetstream 31 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 16 |
| ASRS Report | 409270 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
Air carrier X's first fix out of airspace was ewc VORTAC (20 mi north of pit). Air carrier X was given initial vectors for traffic, and the last heading issued would have put ewc VORTAC very near to his 12 O'clock position. Air carrier X was then cleared to ewc VORTAC, and issued climb instructions. I proceeded to perform some other duties, and I then noticed that air carrier X had turned about 70 degrees to the right, and was overtaking air carrier Y, who was also climbing. I instructed air carrier X to turn immediately to a 360 degree heading, leveled air carrier X and air carrier Y until divergence was accomplished, and then proceeded to send all aircraft involved on their assigned rtes and altitudes. I believe the most likely reason that air carrier X turned east, was the crew had mistakenly input the wrong VOR frequency.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR DC9 WAS CLRED DIRECT EWC VORTAC AND MADE AN UNAUTH 70 DEG TURN TO THE E CREATING A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH AN ACR BA31. CTLR NOTICED THE DC9 TURN AFTER DOING SOME OTHER TASKS AND WAS ABLE TO VECTOR THE ACFT TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION.
Narrative: ACR X'S FIRST FIX OUT OF AIRSPACE WAS EWC VORTAC (20 MI N OF PIT). ACR X WAS GIVEN INITIAL VECTORS FOR TFC, AND THE LAST HEADING ISSUED WOULD HAVE PUT EWC VORTAC VERY NEAR TO HIS 12 O'CLOCK POS. ACR X WAS THEN CLRED TO EWC VORTAC, AND ISSUED CLB INSTRUCTIONS. I PROCEEDED TO PERFORM SOME OTHER DUTIES, AND I THEN NOTICED THAT ACR X HAD TURNED ABOUT 70 DEGS TO THE R, AND WAS OVERTAKING ACR Y, WHO WAS ALSO CLBING. I INSTRUCTED ACR X TO TURN IMMEDIATELY TO A 360 DEG HDG, LEVELED ACR X AND ACR Y UNTIL DIVERGENCE WAS ACCOMPLISHED, AND THEN PROCEEDED TO SEND ALL ACFT INVOLVED ON THEIR ASSIGNED RTES AND ALTS. I BELIEVE THE MOST LIKELY REASON THAT ACR X TURNED E, WAS THE CREW HAD MISTAKENLY INPUT THE WRONG VOR FREQ.
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.