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ZOB controller experienced operational error at FL310 when pilot's discretion descent clearance information was not coordination.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 633859 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200410 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : djb.vortac |
| State Reference | OH |
| Altitude | msl single value : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc tower : ind.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet CL65, 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 : 22 controller time certified in position1 : 22 |
| ASRS Report | 633859 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 21000 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Error |
Narrative:
It was XA00. I had just taken over the position. I was told the A319 was descending into pit. The data block showed FL309 with an assigned altitude of FL290. The other traffic CRJ1 was converging at FL310, but still more than 4 mins out, so at normal descent rates should not have been a factor. I was not talking to the A319 at this point and later learned after the incident that the A319 clearance was changed to pilot's discretion from FL310 to FL290 which caused it to become a factor with the CRJ1 level at FL310. FL310 is the base altitude in the sector I was controling and the sector that gave the discretion descent controled FL290 and below. Had I known that the A319 was not descending, I would have devoted more attention to the situation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZOB CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL310 WHEN PLT'S DISCRETION DSCNT CLRNC INFO WAS NOT COORD.
Narrative: IT WAS XA00. I HAD JUST TAKEN OVER THE POS. I WAS TOLD THE A319 WAS DSNDING INTO PIT. THE DATA BLOCK SHOWED FL309 WITH AN ASSIGNED ALT OF FL290. THE OTHER TFC CRJ1 WAS CONVERGING AT FL310, BUT STILL MORE THAN 4 MINS OUT, SO AT NORMAL DSCNT RATES SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACTOR. I WAS NOT TALKING TO THE A319 AT THIS POINT AND LATER LEARNED AFTER THE INCIDENT THAT THE A319 CLRNC WAS CHANGED TO PLT'S DISCRETION FROM FL310 TO FL290 WHICH CAUSED IT TO BECOME A FACTOR WITH THE CRJ1 LEVEL AT FL310. FL310 IS THE BASE ALT IN THE SECTOR I WAS CTLING AND THE SECTOR THAT GAVE THE DISCRETION DSCNT CTLED FL290 AND BELOW. HAD I KNOWN THAT THE A319 WAS NOT DSNDING, I WOULD HAVE DEVOTED MORE ATTN TO THE SIT.
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.