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An arriving B737 in descent with opposite direction climbing traffic is temporarily lost on the ARTCC controller's radar scope due to coasting and loss of transponder code. The controller issued turns to both aircraft for separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 412899 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199809 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : sju |
| State Reference | PR |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : tjzs |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | L-1011 Tri-Star All Series |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 8 controller non radar : 8 controller radar : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 412899 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : flight data |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 30000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Navigational Facility |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| Navigational Aid | Unspecified |
Narrative:
All aircraft deviating at airspace boundary with ZMA. Air carrier X, a B737, from pit to tjsj, sebound. Air carrier Y, a H/L101, from tjsj to atl nwbound. Air carrier Y climbing to FL350 from FL270. ZMA coordinates descent for air carrier X from FL330 to FL270 with d-side (non radar position). Air carrier X is also deviating. Air carrier Y issued direct routing to crg. I observe that this will conflict with air carrier X and issue a 15 degree turn to the right. He is climbing through FL290. Air carrier X checks on frequency and I issue him a 15 degree turn to the right also. Air carrier X's data block goes in to coast. I issue an additional 15 degree turn further right to air carrier Y and inform air carrier X I have lost his transponder and for him to switch to the other and say altitude. His response is 'descending.' air carrier Y is indicating FL300 climbing. The last 'hit' shows aircraft 14 mi apart but I cannot tell air carrier X's direction. Air carrier X is now on second transponder but with wrong squawk. This hit shows aircraft 6 mi apart. I inform air carrier X and he angrily responds that if the aircraft's xponders (his and air carrier Y) can see and communicate to each other why can't our radar see him. Solutions: give us better radar. Both xponders should be set to same beacon code.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ARRIVING B737 IN DSCNT WITH OPPOSITE DIRECTION CLBING TFC IS TEMPORARILY LOST ON THE ARTCC CTLR'S RADAR SCOPE DUE TO COASTING AND LOSS OF XPONDER CODE. THE CTLR ISSUED TURNS TO BOTH ACFT FOR SEPARATION.
Narrative: ALL ACFT DEVIATING AT AIRSPACE BOUNDARY WITH ZMA. ACR X, A B737, FROM PIT TO TJSJ, SEBOUND. ACR Y, A H/L101, FROM TJSJ TO ATL NWBOUND. ACR Y CLBING TO FL350 FROM FL270. ZMA COORDINATES DSCNT FOR ACR X FROM FL330 TO FL270 WITH D-SIDE (NON RADAR POS). ACR X IS ALSO DEVIATING. ACR Y ISSUED DIRECT ROUTING TO CRG. I OBSERVE THAT THIS WILL CONFLICT WITH ACR X AND ISSUE A 15 DEG TURN TO THE R. HE IS CLBING THROUGH FL290. ACR X CHKS ON FREQ AND I ISSUE HIM A 15 DEG TURN TO THE R ALSO. ACR X'S DATA BLOCK GOES IN TO COAST. I ISSUE AN ADDITIONAL 15 DEG TURN FURTHER R TO ACR Y AND INFORM ACR X I HAVE LOST HIS XPONDER AND FOR HIM TO SWITCH TO THE OTHER AND SAY ALT. HIS RESPONSE IS 'DSNDING.' ACR Y IS INDICATING FL300 CLBING. THE LAST 'HIT' SHOWS ACFT 14 MI APART BUT I CANNOT TELL ACR X'S DIRECTION. ACR X IS NOW ON SECOND XPONDER BUT WITH WRONG SQUAWK. THIS HIT SHOWS ACFT 6 MI APART. I INFORM ACR X AND HE ANGRILY RESPONDS THAT IF THE ACFT'S XPONDERS (HIS AND ACR Y) CAN SEE AND COMMUNICATE TO EACH OTHER WHY CAN'T OUR RADAR SEE HIM. SOLUTIONS: GIVE US BETTER RADAR. BOTH XPONDERS SHOULD BE SET TO SAME BEACON CODE.
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.