<< >> NASA ASRS Report 637464, November 2004

Aus approach controller fails to hear incorrect clearance readback and enters adjacent airspace without clearance.

Attributes
ACN	637464
Time
Date	200411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : aus.airport
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus.tracon
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	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure : on vectors departure sid : aus
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	tracon : aus.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Caravan 1 208A
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller limited radar : 0 controller military : 4 controller radar : 18 controller time certified in position1 : 4 controller time certified in position2 : 8 flight time total : 100
ASRS Report	637464
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation Intra Facility Coordination Failure

Narrative:

Aircraft X departed aus runway 17R climbing to 4000 ft on the aus 1 departure procedure. I advised the pilot that he was 'radar contact,' and instructed him to '...turn right heading 320 degrees, climb and maintain 12000 ft, one-two thousand.' the same voice of aircraft X read back the clearance incorrectly, saying 'turn left heading 320 degrees....' I missed/did not hear the readback error. Several seconds later, I questioned aircraft X, asking if he was turning left or right, as he appeared to be drifting east, towards a C208 that had previously departed aus runway 17L. Aircraft X replied that he was turning left as I had instructed him to do. A different voice from aircraft X then stated that he had 'questioned' the left turn. Upon review of the tape, I issued a 'right turn.' aircraft X replied with 'left turn.' I missed the error with aircraft X's reply. Aircraft X's fast climb rate (and luck) allowed him to miss the C208, but aircraft X still penetrated another sector's airspace, and subsequent vectoring and altitude restrs were required to avoid other traffic. TCASII did not sound, and our low altitude/conflict alert warning did not alarm.

Related reports:

• Approach controller issued incorrect altitude to an inbound ...
• Approach controller and air carrier flight crew reported inc...
• Cargo flight on approach on vectors to final approach has in...
• Approach controller misses the incorrect readback as an air ...
• Approach controller at clt cancels a pilots IFR flight plan ...
• Pia approach controller reported regional jet was below the ...

	Enter your search terms Submit search form
	Web www.37000feet.com

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AUS APCH CTLR FAILS TO HEAR INCORRECT CLRNC READBACK AND ENTERS ADJACENT AIRSPACE WITHOUT CLRNC.

Narrative: ACFT X DEPARTED AUS RWY 17R CLBING TO 4000 FT ON THE AUS 1 DEP PROC. I ADVISED THE PLT THAT HE WAS 'RADAR CONTACT,' AND INSTRUCTED HIM TO '...TURN R HDG 320 DEGS, CLB AND MAINTAIN 12000 FT, ONE-TWO THOUSAND.' THE SAME VOICE OF ACFT X READ BACK THE CLRNC INCORRECTLY, SAYING 'TURN L HDG 320 DEGS....' I MISSED/DID NOT HEAR THE READBACK ERROR. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, I QUESTIONED ACFT X, ASKING IF HE WAS TURNING L OR R, AS HE APPEARED TO BE DRIFTING E, TOWARDS A C208 THAT HAD PREVIOUSLY DEPARTED AUS RWY 17L. ACFT X REPLIED THAT HE WAS TURNING L AS I HAD INSTRUCTED HIM TO DO. A DIFFERENT VOICE FROM ACFT X THEN STATED THAT HE HAD 'QUESTIONED' THE L TURN. UPON REVIEW OF THE TAPE, I ISSUED A 'R TURN.' ACFT X REPLIED WITH 'L TURN.' I MISSED THE ERROR WITH ACFT X'S REPLY. ACFT X'S FAST CLB RATE (AND LUCK) ALLOWED HIM TO MISS THE C208, BUT ACFT X STILL PENETRATED ANOTHER SECTOR'S AIRSPACE, AND SUBSEQUENT VECTORING AND ALT RESTRS WERE REQUIRED TO AVOID OTHER TFC. TCASII DID NOT SOUND, AND OUR LOW ALT/CONFLICT ALERT WARNING DID NOT ALARM.

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.