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ARTCC radar controller vectoring an air carrier A320 for separation and descent from an en route air carrier B727, turned the aircraft the wrong direction. Controller was giving a position relief briefing at the time and did not see the less than standard separation occur until the conflict alert activated.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 414683 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199809 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : vhp |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B727 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 | flight time last 90 days : 9 flight time total : 4 |
| ASRS Report | 414683 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 21000 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Air carrier X, a cmh arrival, was eastbound at FL370. Air carrier Y was wbound at FL350. Air carrier X needed to start a descent for cmh, but had additional traffic slightly ahead (3 mi) and below at FL330. I instructed the d-side to point out the air carrier X to ZAU so that I could turn him left and start his descent. The turn was primarily to clear the FL330 traffic and secondly to get added mileage between the air carrier X and air carrier Y. I intended to turn air carrier X left 20 degrees and descend and maintain FL350. I, however, inadvertently said right. About the same time I was offered a break from the position and subsequently began a position relief briefing. By the time I got to the traffic portion of the briefing and noticed that air carrier X had instead turned right he was 'clipping' the back side of the air carrier Y. Conflict alert and adep then activated simultaneously. By the time I observed the error and conflict alert activated the aircraft were moving away from each other.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR VECTORING AN ACR A320 FOR SEPARATION AND DSCNT FROM AN ENRTE ACR B727, TURNED THE ACFT THE WRONG DIRECTION. CTLR WAS GIVING A POS RELIEF BRIEFING AT THE TIME AND DID NOT SEE THE LTSS OCCUR UNTIL THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED.
Narrative: ACR X, A CMH ARR, WAS EBOUND AT FL370. ACR Y WAS WBOUND AT FL350. ACR X NEEDED TO START A DSCNT FOR CMH, BUT HAD ADDITIONAL TFC SLIGHTLY AHEAD (3 MI) AND BELOW AT FL330. I INSTRUCTED THE D-SIDE TO POINT OUT THE ACR X TO ZAU SO THAT I COULD TURN HIM L AND START HIS DSCNT. THE TURN WAS PRIMARILY TO CLR THE FL330 TFC AND SECONDLY TO GET ADDED MILEAGE BTWN THE ACR X AND ACR Y. I INTENDED TO TURN ACR X L 20 DEGS AND DSND AND MAINTAIN FL350. I, HOWEVER, INADVERTENTLY SAID R. ABOUT THE SAME TIME I WAS OFFERED A BREAK FROM THE POS AND SUBSEQUENTLY BEGAN A POS RELIEF BRIEFING. BY THE TIME I GOT TO THE TFC PORTION OF THE BRIEFING AND NOTICED THAT ACR X HAD INSTEAD TURNED R HE WAS 'CLIPPING' THE BACK SIDE OF THE ACR Y. CONFLICT ALERT AND ADEP THEN ACTIVATED SIMULTANEOUSLY. BY THE TIME I OBSERVED THE ERROR AND CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED THE ACFT WERE MOVING AWAY FROM EACH OTHER.
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.