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Iad controller unable to resolve self-initiated conflict between a climbing carj and B737. Controller concerned with delegated airspace between iad, dca and bwi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 509572 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200104 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : aml.vortac |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 13000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad.tracon tower : apa.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : iad.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet 200 ER&LR |
| 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 : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 1.5 controller non radar : 1.5 controller radar : 9 flight time total : 80 |
| ASRS Report | 509572 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure FAA |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Working a high sector with aircraft at a high rate of speed. Aircraft were deviating around WX, speed control was being used for spacing on departure aircraft, as well as additional vectoring, and volume too was a factor. The center sector was slow in accepting handoffs. This position is notorious for built-in conflicts since departures from iad, dca, and bwi are climbed up to flight levels, while bwi arrs are descended through them. One of the 3 main jet rtes crosses 2 other jet rtes at an almost perfect 90 degree angle. A B737 was inbound to bwi. A carj was an iad departure. B737 was at 15000 ft needing to be descended to 11000 ft. Carj was at 11000 ft needing to be climbed to 17000 ft. Their rtes of flight cross at right angles. Due to heavy traffic and deviations, carj was climbed to 12000 ft only B737 was stepped down to 14000 ft then 13000 ft. B737 was then descended to 11000 ft and conflicted with carj. I immediately turned carj to a 090 degree heading (right turn) and he replied he had an RA. I then turned to a 360 degree heading (left turn) and he replied he had an RA. Separation was lost. Too many built-in conflicts for a level 12 facility. Iad procedures and airspace were established yrs ago when iad was a level 3 facility. Neither dca nor bwi will work with us to improve airspace or procedures. Eastern region headquarters will do nothing because of the politics involving dca and the congressional bigwigs.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: IAD CTLR UNABLE TO RESOLVE SELF-INITIATED CONFLICT BTWN A CLBING CARJ AND B737. CTLR CONCERNED WITH DELEGATED AIRSPACE BTWN IAD, DCA AND BWI.
Narrative: WORKING A HIGH SECTOR WITH ACFT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPD. ACFT WERE DEVIATING AROUND WX, SPD CTL WAS BEING USED FOR SPACING ON DEP ACFT, AS WELL AS ADDITIONAL VECTORING, AND VOLUME TOO WAS A FACTOR. THE CTR SECTOR WAS SLOW IN ACCEPTING HDOFS. THIS POS IS NOTORIOUS FOR BUILT-IN CONFLICTS SINCE DEPS FROM IAD, DCA, AND BWI ARE CLBED UP TO FLT LEVELS, WHILE BWI ARRS ARE DSNDED THROUGH THEM. ONE OF THE 3 MAIN JET RTES CROSSES 2 OTHER JET RTES AT AN ALMOST PERFECT 90 DEG ANGLE. A B737 WAS INBOUND TO BWI. A CARJ WAS AN IAD DEP. B737 WAS AT 15000 FT NEEDING TO BE DSNDED TO 11000 FT. CARJ WAS AT 11000 FT NEEDING TO BE CLBED TO 17000 FT. THEIR RTES OF FLT CROSS AT R ANGLES. DUE TO HVY TFC AND DEVS, CARJ WAS CLBED TO 12000 FT ONLY B737 WAS STEPPED DOWN TO 14000 FT THEN 13000 FT. B737 WAS THEN DSNDED TO 11000 FT AND CONFLICTED WITH CARJ. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED CARJ TO A 090 DEG HDG (R TURN) AND HE REPLIED HE HAD AN RA. I THEN TURNED TO A 360 DEG HDG (L TURN) AND HE REPLIED HE HAD AN RA. SEPARATION WAS LOST. TOO MANY BUILT-IN CONFLICTS FOR A LEVEL 12 FACILITY. IAD PROCS AND AIRSPACE WERE ESTABLISHED YRS AGO WHEN IAD WAS A LEVEL 3 FACILITY. NEITHER DCA NOR BWI WILL WORK WITH US TO IMPROVE AIRSPACE OR PROCS. EASTERN REGION HEADQUARTERS WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE OF THE POLITICS INVOLVING DCA AND THE CONGRESSIONAL BIGWIGS.
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.