 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ZNY controller is unable to maintain in-trail separation to bos with 3 aircraft handed off from 2 adjoining ZNY sectors.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 523920 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200109 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : rka.vor |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zny.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 18 controller non radar : 18 controller radar : 17 controller supervisory : 6 controller time certified in position1 : 16 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 22800 vertical : 400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Airspace Structure Environmental Factor ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
I took handoffs on the 2 boston arrs from the niagara sector both at FL370, converging faster behind, knowing I needed to give the next controller 10 mi in trail. I made a plan in my mind. Then I got a handoff from gee sector on a 3RD bos arrival and I had to come up with a new plan. I vectored #3 to a 150 degree heading to go behind #2. I vectored #2 to a 040 degree heading to go behind #1. In the beginning, #2 was #1 in my mind, so the 040 degree heading was not part of my original plan. The vectors were not good enough to maintain separation. By the time conflict alert went off, there was no way the #2 aircraft could have maintained separation, even if they both turned and one climbed and the other descended. I turned both aircraft but it was too late. I should have descended one of them before I vectored for the spacing, or turned them both in the same direction, or turned them in opposite directions.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZNY CTLR IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN IN-TRAIL SEPARATION TO BOS WITH 3 ACFT HANDED OFF FROM 2 ADJOINING ZNY SECTORS.
Narrative: I TOOK HDOFS ON THE 2 BOSTON ARRS FROM THE NIAGARA SECTOR BOTH AT FL370, CONVERGING FASTER BEHIND, KNOWING I NEEDED TO GIVE THE NEXT CTLR 10 MI IN TRAIL. I MADE A PLAN IN MY MIND. THEN I GOT A HDOF FROM GEE SECTOR ON A 3RD BOS ARR AND I HAD TO COME UP WITH A NEW PLAN. I VECTORED #3 TO A 150 DEG HDG TO GO BEHIND #2. I VECTORED #2 TO A 040 DEG HDG TO GO BEHIND #1. IN THE BEGINNING, #2 WAS #1 IN MY MIND, SO THE 040 DEG HDG WAS NOT PART OF MY ORIGINAL PLAN. THE VECTORS WERE NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. BY THE TIME CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF, THERE WAS NO WAY THE #2 ACFT COULD HAVE MAINTAINED SEPARATION, EVEN IF THEY BOTH TURNED AND ONE CLBED AND THE OTHER DSNDED. I TURNED BOTH ACFT BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. I SHOULD HAVE DSNDED ONE OF THEM BEFORE I VECTORED FOR THE SPACING, OR TURNED THEM BOTH IN THE SAME DIRECTION, OR TURNED THEM IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS.
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.