H-25A and DC9 experience critical conflict at 15000 ft when coordination between abq TRACON and ZAB radar broke down and both aircraft were cleared to the same altitude.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	585451
Time
Date	200306
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : abq.airport
State Reference	NM
Altitude	msl single value : 15000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc tracon : abq.tracon tower : zzz.tower
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	HS 125 Series 1-600
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Navigation In Use	other
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	arrival star : friho
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zab.artcc tracon : abq.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : first officer
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 75 flight time total : 8000 flight time type : 200
ASRS Report	585451
Person 2
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 45 flight time total : 1600 flight time type : 178
ASRS Report	585453
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance controller : separated traffic flight crew : took evasive action
Consequence	faa : investigated faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Miss Distance	vertical : 400
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance Weather Environmental Factor
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

We were approximately 50 mi nnw of abq. Center cleared us to friho intersection and the friho 3 arrival to abq. At this time were also cleared to descend to 15000 ft. About 2 mins later center turned us over to abq approach. Upon switching we heard approach tell an airliner to make an immediate right turn after which we heard the airliner say they saw the target on TCASII and already took action. At this time we did not know it was for us. When we checked in with approach, the controller asked us what altitude we had been assigned by center and replied, '15000 ft.' when we landed, the tower called us at the FBO to ask us about the incident. They told us that we should have been at 16000 ft at friho intersection. Because WX was east of the airport, and departing north and wbound aircraft are given 15000 ft by departure. Apparently tower calls center to make this change. At this point, tower said they would review the tapes and call us back. When they called back, they said we did read back accurately what we were instructed to do. They said we were not to be blame. They also said they were not sure if center got the message for 16000 ft or not. They were going to review tapes on that as well.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: H-25A AND DC9 EXPERIENCE CRITICAL CONFLICT AT 15000 FT WHEN COORD BTWN ABQ TRACON AND ZAB RADAR BROKE DOWN AND BOTH ACFT WERE CLRED TO THE SAME ALT.

Narrative: WE WERE APPROX 50 MI NNW OF ABQ. CTR CLRED US TO FRIHO INTXN AND THE FRIHO 3 ARR TO ABQ. AT THIS TIME WERE ALSO CLRED TO DSND TO 15000 FT. ABOUT 2 MINS LATER CTR TURNED US OVER TO ABQ APCH. UPON SWITCHING WE HEARD APCH TELL AN AIRLINER TO MAKE AN IMMEDIATE R TURN AFTER WHICH WE HEARD THE AIRLINER SAY THEY SAW THE TARGET ON TCASII AND ALREADY TOOK ACTION. AT THIS TIME WE DID NOT KNOW IT WAS FOR US. WHEN WE CHKED IN WITH APCH, THE CTLR ASKED US WHAT ALT WE HAD BEEN ASSIGNED BY CTR AND REPLIED, '15000 FT.' WHEN WE LANDED, THE TWR CALLED US AT THE FBO TO ASK US ABOUT THE INCIDENT. THEY TOLD US THAT WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT 16000 FT AT FRIHO INTXN. BECAUSE WX WAS E OF THE ARPT, AND DEPARTING N AND WBOUND ACFT ARE GIVEN 15000 FT BY DEP. APPARENTLY TWR CALLS CTR TO MAKE THIS CHANGE. AT THIS POINT, TWR SAID THEY WOULD REVIEW THE TAPES AND CALL US BACK. WHEN THEY CALLED BACK, THEY SAID WE DID READ BACK ACCURATELY WHAT WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO DO. THEY SAID WE WERE NOT TO BE BLAME. THEY ALSO SAID THEY WERE NOT SURE IF CTR GOT THE MESSAGE FOR 16000 FT OR NOT. THEY WERE GOING TO REVIEW TAPES ON THAT AS WELL.

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.