Narrative:

The radar associate was given the opportunity by the radar controller to make xmissions to live aircraft (free time), from the d-side position. Air carrier X checked on level at FL330. The radar associate cleared air carrier X to deeds and issued a clearance to descend at pilot's discretion to FL240. The radar associate reflected this on the flight progress strip, but not in the data block. Another sector called the r-side with a pointout on air carrier Y climbing to FL390, which the r-side approved. Realizing a possible conflict, the r-side called the sector back and asked the controller to stop air carrier Y at FL310, during which time, the radar 4 associate was on the landline with another facility. Air carrier X reported leaving FL330. The r-side controller issued a clearance to remain at FL330 and turn 30 degrees right. The pilot of air carrier X said that he'd already left FL330, but that he would climb back up and questioned the turn. The r-side controller called the traffic and told the pilot to turn 20 degrees right. The pilot said that he had the traffic on TCASII and again questioned the turn. Separation was lost. Contributing factors: 1) radar associate did not reflect descent to FL240 in data block. 2) pilot of air carrier X did not follow ATC instruction when told to turn. 3) radar associate did not hear pointout due to being on landline. 4) radar controller may not have heard the clearance for air carrier X to descend at pilot's discretion to FL240. 5) radar associate is not checked out on any radar position. 6) supervisor was not in the area.

Related reports:

Google
 

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A RADAR ASSOCIATE CTLR AT ZMA WAS ALLOWED TO WORK LIVE TFC FROM THE D SIDE THAT RESULTED IN A LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN 2 ACR ACFT.

Narrative: THE RADAR ASSOCIATE WAS GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY BY THE RADAR CTLR TO MAKE XMISSIONS TO LIVE ACFT (FREE TIME), FROM THE D-SIDE POS. ACR X CHKED ON LEVEL AT FL330. THE RADAR ASSOCIATE CLRED ACR X TO DEEDS AND ISSUED A CLRNC TO DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240. THE RADAR ASSOCIATE REFLECTED THIS ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP, BUT NOT IN THE DATA BLOCK. ANOTHER SECTOR CALLED THE R-SIDE WITH A POINTOUT ON ACR Y CLBING TO FL390, WHICH THE R-SIDE APPROVED. REALIZING A POSSIBLE CONFLICT, THE R-SIDE CALLED THE SECTOR BACK AND ASKED THE CTLR TO STOP ACR Y AT FL310, DURING WHICH TIME, THE RADAR 4 ASSOCIATE WAS ON THE LANDLINE WITH ANOTHER FACILITY. ACR X RPTED LEAVING FL330. THE R-SIDE CTLR ISSUED A CLRNC TO REMAIN AT FL330 AND TURN 30 DEGS R. THE PLT OF ACR X SAID THAT HE'D ALREADY LEFT FL330, BUT THAT HE WOULD CLB BACK UP AND QUESTIONED THE TURN. THE R-SIDE CTLR CALLED THE TFC AND TOLD THE PLT TO TURN 20 DEGS R. THE PLT SAID THAT HE HAD THE TFC ON TCASII AND AGAIN QUESTIONED THE TURN. SEPARATION WAS LOST. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) RADAR ASSOCIATE DID NOT REFLECT DSCNT TO FL240 IN DATA BLOCK. 2) PLT OF ACR X DID NOT FOLLOW ATC INSTRUCTION WHEN TOLD TO TURN. 3) RADAR ASSOCIATE DID NOT HEAR POINTOUT DUE TO BEING ON LANDLINE. 4) RADAR CTLR MAY NOT HAVE HEARD THE CLRNC FOR ACR X TO DSND AT PLT'S DISCRETION TO FL240. 5) RADAR ASSOCIATE IS NOT CHKED OUT ON ANY RADAR POS. 6) SUPVR WAS NOT IN THE AREA.

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.