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Pct supervisor controller experienced operational error at 11000 ft while monitoring diverging aircraft; judging the separation to be adequate.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 648880 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200502 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : dca.airport |
| State Reference | DC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 11000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet 200 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pct.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : instrument |
| Experience | controller military : 1 controller radar : 21 controller supervisory : 5 controller time certified in position1 : 20 flight time total : 670 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 16200 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
My facility has classified this as an operational error; but I disagree. I believe from direct observation that diverging courses existed. Furthermore; the final distances of separation stated by the quality assurance staff; 2.9 NM and 800 ft vertical; are so close to the tolerances of ASR-9 and mode C that this should not be called an error. Contributing to this potential error was my lack of proficiency working heavy traffic. I must make an effort to work busy traffic more often (I am a supervisor) so my skills do not perish.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: PCT SUPVR CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT 11000 FT WHILE MONITORING DIVERGING ACFT; JUDGING THE SEPARATION TO BE ADEQUATE.
Narrative: MY FACILITY HAS CLASSIFIED THIS AS AN OPERROR; BUT I DISAGREE. I BELIEVE FROM DIRECT OBSERVATION THAT DIVERGING COURSES EXISTED. FURTHERMORE; THE FINAL DISTANCES OF SEPARATION STATED BY THE QUALITY ASSURANCE STAFF; 2.9 NM AND 800 FT VERT; ARE SO CLOSE TO THE TOLERANCES OF ASR-9 AND MODE C THAT THIS SHOULD NOT BE CALLED AN ERROR. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS POTENTIAL ERROR WAS MY LACK OF PROFICIENCY WORKING HVY TFC. I MUST MAKE AN EFFORT TO WORK BUSY TFC MORE OFTEN (I AM A SUPVR) SO MY SKILLS DO NOT PERISH.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.