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ZHU controller experienced operational error at FL230 when aircraft accepted direct clearance but then deviated around WX and conflicted with traffic at an adjacent sector.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 654549 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200504 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : ela.vor |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Weather Elements | Rain Thunderstorm Turbulence |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tower : zzz.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Embraer Jet Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Gates Learjet Corp Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 |
| ASRS Report | 654549 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 29400 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Weather ATC Human Performance Airspace Structure |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Air carrier X was asked if he could accept direct gland for the arrival. The pilot said affirmative. I cleared him direct gland descending to 10000 ft. About 2 1/2 mins later; I realized he did not turn. When I asked where he was going; he said he was heading 050 degrees around WX. Gland intersection was on a heading of about 95-100 degrees; therefore; he was 45-50 degrees off course. A min or two later; I lost separation with a cpr jet. This occurrence has been listed as a controller error. There was a pilot deviation prior to the error and it was a causal factor. This deviation to my knowledge; isn't being reported by ZHU. The WX was severe with thunderstorms. I told the controller at the adjacent sector of the WX problems in my airspace. He told his supervisor he would have to hold aircraft. His supervisor said; 'no; keep sending the aircraft.' I also told my supervisor; 20 mins prior to the deal; of the impending WX. Since no assistance was being given; it was a 'fly by the seat of your pants' situation. The region originally was looking at this as a pilot deviation. However; when I asked air carrier X where he was going -- when he told me; I responded with 'ok.' there was nothing else I could do. The pilot evidently felt he had to deviate around WX. The pilot was assigned 16000 ft. I did not receive acknowledgement due to being stepped on by a GA aircraft. I lost separation with an aircraft about 15 mi north of my airspace due to the deviation of air carrier X. Missing or not receiving acknowledgement of my clearance for air carrier X to amend altitude to 16000 ft was also a contributing factor for loss of separation minima. When air carrier X deviated his clearance; he did not notify me of such and the FARS require him to do so. Furthermore; I knew nothing about the cpr jet at 15000 ft in the adjacent sector. While I played a role in this situation; there were many causal factors. My missed readback would not have caused an error; but the deviation sure did. In my opinion; the pilot should have been turned in for a deviation -- causing an error.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZHU CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL230 WHEN ACFT ACCEPTED DIRECT CLRNC BUT THEN DEVIATED AROUND WX AND CONFLICTED WITH TFC AT AN ADJACENT SECTOR.
Narrative: ACR X WAS ASKED IF HE COULD ACCEPT DIRECT GLAND FOR THE ARR. THE PLT SAID AFFIRMATIVE. I CLRED HIM DIRECT GLAND DSNDING TO 10000 FT. ABOUT 2 1/2 MINS LATER; I REALIZED HE DID NOT TURN. WHEN I ASKED WHERE HE WAS GOING; HE SAID HE WAS HDG 050 DEGS AROUND WX. GLAND INTXN WAS ON A HDG OF ABOUT 95-100 DEGS; THEREFORE; HE WAS 45-50 DEGS OFF COURSE. A MIN OR TWO LATER; I LOST SEPARATION WITH A CPR JET. THIS OCCURRENCE HAS BEEN LISTED AS A CTLR ERROR. THERE WAS A PLTDEV PRIOR TO THE ERROR AND IT WAS A CAUSAL FACTOR. THIS DEV TO MY KNOWLEDGE; ISN'T BEING RPTED BY ZHU. THE WX WAS SEVERE WITH TSTMS. I TOLD THE CTLR AT THE ADJACENT SECTOR OF THE WX PROBS IN MY AIRSPACE. HE TOLD HIS SUPVR HE WOULD HAVE TO HOLD ACFT. HIS SUPVR SAID; 'NO; KEEP SENDING THE ACFT.' I ALSO TOLD MY SUPVR; 20 MINS PRIOR TO THE DEAL; OF THE IMPENDING WX. SINCE NO ASSISTANCE WAS BEING GIVEN; IT WAS A 'FLY BY THE SEAT OF YOUR PANTS' SIT. THE REGION ORIGINALLY WAS LOOKING AT THIS AS A PLTDEV. HOWEVER; WHEN I ASKED ACR X WHERE HE WAS GOING -- WHEN HE TOLD ME; I RESPONDED WITH 'OK.' THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE I COULD DO. THE PLT EVIDENTLY FELT HE HAD TO DEVIATE AROUND WX. THE PLT WAS ASSIGNED 16000 FT. I DID NOT RECEIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DUE TO BEING STEPPED ON BY A GA ACFT. I LOST SEPARATION WITH AN ACFT ABOUT 15 MI N OF MY AIRSPACE DUE TO THE DEV OF ACR X. MISSING OR NOT RECEIVING ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF MY CLRNC FOR ACR X TO AMEND ALT TO 16000 FT WAS ALSO A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR FOR LOSS OF SEPARATION MINIMA. WHEN ACR X DEVIATED HIS CLRNC; HE DID NOT NOTIFY ME OF SUCH AND THE FARS REQUIRE HIM TO DO SO. FURTHERMORE; I KNEW NOTHING ABOUT THE CPR JET AT 15000 FT IN THE ADJACENT SECTOR. WHILE I PLAYED A ROLE IN THIS SIT; THERE WERE MANY CAUSAL FACTORS. MY MISSED READBACK WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED AN ERROR; BUT THE DEV SURE DID. IN MY OPINION; THE PLT SHOULD HAVE BEEN TURNED IN FOR A DEV -- CAUSING AN ERROR.
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.