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Pvd controller experienced operational error at 7000 ft with 2 GA aircraft. Wrong aircraft call sign was used, resulting in the conflicting aircraft accepting a frequency change.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 621365 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200406 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : tmu.vor |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl single value : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pvd.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Bonanza 36 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pvd.tracon |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Cessna 310/T310C |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 9 controller radar : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 621365 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
At approximately XA32, I received an aural alarm on 2 converging aircraft at 7000 ft, 8 mi southwest of tmu VOR. I immediately attempted to turn aircraft #2 with no reply. I then immediately turned aircraft #1 away from aircraft #2. I continued to try to issue control instructions to aircraft #2. But after reviewing the audio and video recording, I learned that aircraft #2 took a frequency change for another aircraft. I did not realize that this had happened because I was not yet in contact with aircraft #2. I had switched aircraft #3 to an adjacent controller using only aircraft #2 initially, and did not realize that even though he had not checked in with me, he took the frequency change for aircraft #3. I do not think that not having contact was the cause of the loss of separation. It may have reduced the severity to have contact with both aircraft, but I believe that loss of separation was inevitable.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PVD CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 7000 FT WITH 2 GA ACFT. WRONG ACFT CALL SIGN WAS USED, RESULTING IN THE CONFLICTING ACFT ACCEPTING A FREQ CHANGE.
Narrative: AT APPROX XA32, I RECEIVED AN AURAL ALARM ON 2 CONVERGING ACFT AT 7000 FT, 8 MI SW OF TMU VOR. I IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO TURN ACFT #2 WITH NO REPLY. I THEN IMMEDIATELY TURNED ACFT #1 AWAY FROM ACFT #2. I CONTINUED TO TRY TO ISSUE CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO ACFT #2. BUT AFTER REVIEWING THE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDING, I LEARNED THAT ACFT #2 TOOK A FREQ CHANGE FOR ANOTHER ACFT. I DID NOT REALIZE THAT THIS HAD HAPPENED BECAUSE I WAS NOT YET IN CONTACT WITH ACFT #2. I HAD SWITCHED ACFT #3 TO AN ADJACENT CTLR USING ONLY ACFT #2 INITIALLY, AND DID NOT REALIZE THAT EVEN THOUGH HE HAD NOT CHKED IN WITH ME, HE TOOK THE FREQ CHANGE FOR ACFT #3. I DO NOT THINK THAT NOT HAVING CONTACT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF SEPARATION. IT MAY HAVE REDUCED THE SEVERITY TO HAVE CONTACT WITH BOTH ACFT, BUT I BELIEVE THAT LOSS OF SEPARATION WAS INEVITABLE.
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.