ZDC ARTCC radar controller inadvertently assigns a B717 FL290, but put in FL280 in te data block. FL290 was occupied with a crj at cruise and a conflict occurred when the B717 climbed to FL290.

Home

Browse by month

Random

Latest

About

Contact

Attributes
ACN	636795
Time
Date	200411
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	navaid : mol.vor
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc tower : stl.tower
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Regional Jet CL65, Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	departure sid : n/a
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B717 (Formerly MD-95)
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 15
ASRS Report	636795
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 16000 vertical : 700
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I climbed air carrier Y to FL290. I put FL280 in data block. I observed air carrier Y climbing through FL280. I questioned the altitude of air carrier Y then turned him right to a heading of 330 degrees to miss air carrier X at FL290 eastbound traffic. I then instructed R32, who was in communications with air carrier X, to turn him to the right. Conflict alert should have activated sooner. If possibly activated sooner, loss of separation might not have occurred. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated he misspoke when he cleared the B717 to FL290. He immediately saw the problem when the B717 continued climb through FL280. The crj was on with another sector and the controller was unable to call the other sector in time to turn the crj.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC ARTCC RADAR CTLR INADVERTENTLY ASSIGNS A B717 FL290, BUT PUT IN FL280 IN TE DATA BLOCK. FL290 WAS OCCUPIED WITH A CRJ AT CRUISE AND A CONFLICT OCCURRED WHEN THE B717 CLBED TO FL290.

Narrative: I CLBED ACR Y TO FL290. I PUT FL280 IN DATA BLOCK. I OBSERVED ACR Y CLBING THROUGH FL280. I QUESTIONED THE ALT OF ACR Y THEN TURNED HIM R TO A HDG OF 330 DEGS TO MISS ACR X AT FL290 EBOUND TFC. I THEN INSTRUCTED R32, WHO WAS IN COMS WITH ACR X, TO TURN HIM TO THE R. CONFLICT ALERT SHOULD HAVE ACTIVATED SOONER. IF POSSIBLY ACTIVATED SOONER, LOSS OF SEPARATION MIGHT NOT HAVE OCCURRED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED HE MISSPOKE WHEN HE CLRED THE B717 TO FL290. HE IMMEDIATELY SAW THE PROB WHEN THE B717 CONTINUED CLB THROUGH FL280. THE CRJ WAS ON WITH ANOTHER SECTOR AND THE CTLR WAS UNABLE TO CALL THE OTHER SECTOR IN TIME TO TURN THE CRJ.

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.