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ZDC controller becomes distracted with administrative duties and does not ensure separation between a climbing B737 and an en route, level BE9L.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 506865 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : hgr.vor |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 17000 msl bound upper : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | King Air C90 E90 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 3 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 506865 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 4000 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
During a period of low complexity and traffic volume, aircraft 1 checked on my frequency climbing to 17000 MSL. A climb to FL250 was issued. Aircraft 2 was on a crossing course level at FL180. Because of the climb rate of aircraft 1, I assumed that it would 'top' aircraft 2 with room to spare. Most of my attention was focused on reviewing approximately 20-30 proposal flight progress strips during the event. When it became apparent that separation would be lost, I requested that aircraft 1 increase its rate of climb. (It was apparent that the aircraft were not on collision course.) because of the light workload, I erroneously focused more attention on the tedious 'paperwork' of ATC, rather than on projection of control actions issued to the aircraft involved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR BECOMES DISTRACTED WITH ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES AND DOES NOT ENSURE SEPARATION BETWEEN A CLBING B737 AND AN ENRTE, LEVEL BE9L.
Narrative: DURING A PERIOD OF LOW COMPLEXITY AND TFC VOLUME, ACFT 1 CHECKED ON MY FREQUENCY CLBING TO 17000 MSL. A CLB TO FL250 WAS ISSUED. ACFT 2 WAS ON A CROSSING COURSE LEVEL AT FL180. BECAUSE OF THE CLIMB RATE OF ACFT 1, I ASSUMED THAT IT WOULD 'TOP' ACFT 2 WITH ROOM TO SPARE. MOST OF MY ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED ON REVIEWING APPROX 20-30 PROPOSAL FLT PROGRESS STRIPS DURING THE EVENT. WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT SEPARATION WOULD BE LOST, I REQUESTED THAT ACFT 1 INCREASE ITS RATE OF CLB. (IT WAS APPARENT THAT THE ACFT WERE NOT ON COLLISION COURSE.) BECAUSE OF THE LIGHT WORKLOAD, I ERRONEOUSLY FOCUSED MORE ATTENTION ON THE TEDIOUS 'PAPERWORK' OF ATC, RATHER THAN ON PROJECTION OF CTL ACTIONS ISSUED TO THE ACFT INVOLVED.
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.