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ZDC ARTCC radar controller claims a readback error resulted in an operational error. Aircraft call signs are dissimilar.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 622739 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200406 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : swl.vortac |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl single value : 28000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 23 |
| ASRS Report | 622739 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : raddar/mode c aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 15600 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
B757 was aircraft #1, MD80 was aircraft #2. Aircraft #1 was issued descent clearance to FL250 20 NM north of orf. No response on initial clearance. Reissued clearance and received an acknowledgement, but acknowledgement came from an aircraft at FL220 and I did not catch the error. Because of overlapping targets and other distrs I did not notice that aircraft #1 never descended. When given further descent to 15000 ft is when he left FL290. Aircraft #2 was then in the vicinity reported seeing the traffic and responding to a TCASII. We have had several problems with aircraft not responding to control instructions and the problem was growing. With the increase in workload issuing control instructions 2 or 3 times before we get a response is going to create more problems in the future.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLAIMS A READBACK ERROR RESULTED IN AN OPERROR. ACFT CALL SIGNS ARE DISSIMILAR.
Narrative: B757 WAS ACFT #1, MD80 WAS ACFT #2. ACFT #1 WAS ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO FL250 20 NM N OF ORF. NO RESPONSE ON INITIAL CLRNC. REISSUED CLRNC AND RECEIVED AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, BUT ACKNOWLEDGEMENT CAME FROM AN ACFT AT FL220 AND I DID NOT CATCH THE ERROR. BECAUSE OF OVERLAPPING TARGETS AND OTHER DISTRS I DID NOT NOTICE THAT ACFT #1 NEVER DSNDED. WHEN GIVEN FURTHER DSCNT TO 15000 FT IS WHEN HE LEFT FL290. ACFT #2 WAS THEN IN THE VICINITY RPTED SEEING THE TFC AND RESPONDING TO A TCASII. WE HAVE HAD SEVERAL PROBS WITH ACFT NOT RESPONDING TO CTL INSTRUCTIONS AND THE PROB WAS GROWING. WITH THE INCREASE IN WORKLOAD ISSUING CTL INSTRUCTIONS 2 OR 3 TIMES BEFORE WE GET A RESPONSE IS GOING TO CREATE MORE PROBS IN THE FUTURE.
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.