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ZID controller loses separation between WX deviating MD80 and B733 on vector 3 mins after taking control position.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 485142 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200009 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : rod.vortac |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl single value : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.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 | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : private |
| Experience | controller radar : 8 controller time certified in position1 : 8.35 flight time total : 100 |
| ASRS Report | 485142 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 32200 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Weather |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was in the process of relieving the previous controller when this event began. During the briefing the prior controller descended the MD80 from FL270 to FL250. The pilot of the MD80 stated he would need to turn right for WX in order to start the descent. The controller being relieved approved the deviation and then continued with the briefing. When I took control of the sector, the traffic was moderately busy with several sits that took my time and attention away from the aircraft involved: an aircraft from cle at FL280 well into my sector that had not yet been switched to my frequency from ZOB and had possible traffic conflictions. A sbound aircraft that the previous controller told me was a pointout descending was actually under my control on my frequency at FL290 waiting to be climbed and about to enter another sector. A military aircraft was orbiting at FL310 in another part of my sector. There was chop and WX building causing deviations. With all of these things happening, I did not notice how big of a turn the MD80 took and loss of separation with the B733 occurred within 3 mins of my taking the sector. In retrospect, I feel that I should not have taken control of the sector. Rather, I should have worked as a handoff controller until all of the loose ends were taken care of and I had a good grasp of what was going on.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZID CTLR LOSES SEPARATION BTWN WX DEVIATING MD80 AND B733 ON VECTOR 3 MINS AFTER TAKING CTL POS.
Narrative: I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RELIEVING THE PREVIOUS CTLR WHEN THIS EVENT BEGAN. DURING THE BRIEFING THE PRIOR CTLR DSNDED THE MD80 FROM FL270 TO FL250. THE PLT OF THE MD80 STATED HE WOULD NEED TO TURN R FOR WX IN ORDER TO START THE DSCNT. THE CTLR BEING RELIEVED APPROVED THE DEV AND THEN CONTINUED WITH THE BRIEFING. WHEN I TOOK CTL OF THE SECTOR, THE TFC WAS MODERATELY BUSY WITH SEVERAL SITS THAT TOOK MY TIME AND ATTN AWAY FROM THE ACFT INVOLVED: AN ACFT FROM CLE AT FL280 WELL INTO MY SECTOR THAT HAD NOT YET BEEN SWITCHED TO MY FREQ FROM ZOB AND HAD POSSIBLE TFC CONFLICTIONS. A SBOUND ACFT THAT THE PREVIOUS CTLR TOLD ME WAS A POINTOUT DSNDING WAS ACTUALLY UNDER MY CTL ON MY FREQ AT FL290 WAITING TO BE CLBED AND ABOUT TO ENTER ANOTHER SECTOR. A MIL ACFT WAS ORBITING AT FL310 IN ANOTHER PART OF MY SECTOR. THERE WAS CHOP AND WX BUILDING CAUSING DEVS. WITH ALL OF THESE THINGS HAPPENING, I DID NOT NOTICE HOW BIG OF A TURN THE MD80 TOOK AND LOSS OF SEPARATION WITH THE B733 OCCURRED WITHIN 3 MINS OF MY TAKING THE SECTOR. IN RETROSPECT, I FEEL THAT I SHOULD NOT HAVE TAKEN CTL OF THE SECTOR. RATHER, I SHOULD HAVE WORKED AS A HDOF CTLR UNTIL ALL OF THE LOOSE ENDS WERE TAKEN CARE OF AND I HAD A GOOD GRASP OF WHAT WAS GOING ON.
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.