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While being vectored by phx approach control, B757 flight crew given immediate climb clearance. Controller training in progress, with numerous xmissions block stepped on. Reporter does not believe training should be conducted during heavy traffic volume times.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 427285 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199901 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phx |
| State Reference | AZ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 8000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tower : sap |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 1000 |
| ASRS Report | 427285 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 30000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | procedure or policy : unspecified |
Narrative:
We (X) were about 15 mi from the airport, being vectored for a visual approach to the west. We were given a descent to 7000 ft (we were basically on a base leg, approaching from the north). Approach control was very busy, yet a student controller was at the helm of approach being assisted by an instructor controller. (We were told this after we called them on the ground.) several xmissions were blocked out between approach control and vectored aircraft. Several airlines transmitted 'you were blocked' to approach control. At the tail end of a blocked transmission, I heard 8000 ft. I queried approach, 'who was that last transmission for?' but received no response. (Approach was extremely busy at this time, and my query probably 'stepped' on another transmission.) reaching 7000 ft, we were told to immediately climb (no TA or RA). We immediately added power and climbed to 8000 ft. Apparently, we became a conflict with a departing aircraft (Y) who was at 7000 ft about 5 1/2 mi away. When we called approach control on the ground, a supervisor informed us that the student had made an error in 'immediately' climbing us, a vector would have worked better. In addition, the 8000 ft blocked transmission was not for our aircraft. He said the student/instructor team was being counseled and there never was a traffic separation problem. In retrospect, it seemed to us that the controller was working too many aircraft and smooth, concise communication was not possible. Peak arrival periods are probably not the best time to conduct controller training.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: WHILE BEING VECTORED BY PHX APCH CTL, B757 FLC GIVEN IMMEDIATE CLB CLRNC. CTLR TRAINING IN PROGRESS, WITH NUMEROUS XMISSIONS BLOCK STEPPED ON. RPTR DOES NOT BELIEVE TRAINING SHOULD BE CONDUCTED DURING HVY TFC VOLUME TIMES.
Narrative: WE (X) WERE ABOUT 15 MI FROM THE ARPT, BEING VECTORED FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE W. WE WERE GIVEN A DSCNT TO 7000 FT (WE WERE BASICALLY ON A BASE LEG, APCHING FROM THE N). APCH CTL WAS VERY BUSY, YET A STUDENT CTLR WAS AT THE HELM OF APCH BEING ASSISTED BY AN INSTRUCTOR CTLR. (WE WERE TOLD THIS AFTER WE CALLED THEM ON THE GND.) SEVERAL XMISSIONS WERE BLOCKED OUT BTWN APCH CTL AND VECTORED ACFT. SEVERAL AIRLINES XMITTED 'YOU WERE BLOCKED' TO APCH CTL. AT THE TAIL END OF A BLOCKED XMISSION, I HEARD 8000 FT. I QUERIED APCH, 'WHO WAS THAT LAST XMISSION FOR?' BUT RECEIVED NO RESPONSE. (APCH WAS EXTREMELY BUSY AT THIS TIME, AND MY QUERY PROBABLY 'STEPPED' ON ANOTHER XMISSION.) REACHING 7000 FT, WE WERE TOLD TO IMMEDIATELY CLB (NO TA OR RA). WE IMMEDIATELY ADDED PWR AND CLBED TO 8000 FT. APPARENTLY, WE BECAME A CONFLICT WITH A DEPARTING ACFT (Y) WHO WAS AT 7000 FT ABOUT 5 1/2 MI AWAY. WHEN WE CALLED APCH CTL ON THE GND, A SUPVR INFORMED US THAT THE STUDENT HAD MADE AN ERROR IN 'IMMEDIATELY' CLBING US, A VECTOR WOULD HAVE WORKED BETTER. IN ADDITION, THE 8000 FT BLOCKED XMISSION WAS NOT FOR OUR ACFT. HE SAID THE STUDENT/INSTRUCTOR TEAM WAS BEING COUNSELED AND THERE NEVER WAS A TFC SEPARATION PROB. IN RETROSPECT, IT SEEMED TO US THAT THE CTLR WAS WORKING TOO MANY ACFT AND SMOOTH, CONCISE COM WAS NOT POSSIBLE. PEAK ARR PERIODS ARE PROBABLY NOT THE BEST TIME TO CONDUCT CTLR TRAINING.
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.