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ZTL controller incorrectly sets altitude filter limits and does not observe conflict taking place until brought to his attention by one of the pilots.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 445036 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199908 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : hky.airport |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 6500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Skyhawk 172/Cutlass 172 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 445036 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Qualification | pilot : private |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : altitude filter limits other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 0 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Facility ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was working the C172 (X) at sector ZTL 48 from the new dsr control room. ZTL is currently in transition from the M-1 control room to the dsr control room. I was working alone and had been on the sector for approximately 10 mins. Aircraft X was being provided VFR advisories while conducting an aerial photo mission. His flight path took him back and forth across the clt approach control boundary. Clt had a pointout. Aircraft X advised me that he was descending because an airliner was descending right at him. I never saw it. Further examination revealed that the altitude limits had been set at '100b113' instead of '000b113.' the MD80 (Y) was inbound to clt descending to 7000 ft, being worked by clt. It was an incredible oversight on my part not to recognize the potential for this situation. I knew clt was on a south operation and I knew aircraft X's flight would be operating in the vicinity of clt operations. I can only say that I was absorbed in trying to adjust to the new equipment. I made numerous other errors during this same session in dsr.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZTL CTLR INCORRECTLY SETS ALT FILTER LIMITS AND DOES NOT OBSERVE CONFLICT TAKING PLACE UNTIL BROUGHT TO HIS ATTN BY ONE OF THE PLTS.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE C172 (X) AT SECTOR ZTL 48 FROM THE NEW DSR CTL ROOM. ZTL IS CURRENTLY IN TRANSITION FROM THE M-1 CTL ROOM TO THE DSR CTL ROOM. I WAS WORKING ALONE AND HAD BEEN ON THE SECTOR FOR APPROX 10 MINS. ACFT X WAS BEING PROVIDED VFR ADVISORIES WHILE CONDUCTING AN AERIAL PHOTO MISSION. HIS FLT PATH TOOK HIM BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE CLT APCH CTL BOUNDARY. CLT HAD A POINTOUT. ACFT X ADVISED ME THAT HE WAS DSNDING BECAUSE AN AIRLINER WAS DSNDING RIGHT AT HIM. I NEVER SAW IT. FURTHER EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE ALT LIMITS HAD BEEN SET AT '100B113' INSTEAD OF '000B113.' THE MD80 (Y) WAS INBOUND TO CLT DSNDING TO 7000 FT, BEING WORKED BY CLT. IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE OVERSIGHT ON MY PART NOT TO RECOGNIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR THIS SIT. I KNEW CLT WAS ON A S OP AND I KNEW ACFT X'S FLT WOULD BE OPERATING IN THE VICINITY OF CLT OPS. I CAN ONLY SAY THAT I WAS ABSORBED IN TRYING TO ADJUST TO THE NEW EQUIP. I MADE NUMEROUS OTHER ERRORS DURING THIS SAME SESSION IN DSR.
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.