Narrative:

On nov/sun/05; at approximately XA00-XB00; a C172; on an IFR en route clearance through acy airspace and established on V16 at 7000 ft; came into conflict with a commercial aircraft traveling east to west en route to phl; descending through 7000 ft just in front of the C172. I immediately reported this to the supervisor on duty; who was sitting at the west radar scope and stated that he/she 'saw it.' he/she called phl supervisor and discovered that the commercial aircraft had the C172 on V16 in sight and was maintaining visual separation even though his TCAS alarmed. The pilot stated 'the cessna wasn't a factor; because of their airspeed and his rate of descent.' the C172 continued on V16 and made no comment. Recommended corrective action to prevent a further event: 1) open additional control position (ie; addd or ci) to assist the controller during periods of high saturation (an extra pair of eyes could make the difference). 2) controller must know when to say no! When his/my level of acceptance is reached. 3) make note that when I accept a pointout to another facility; make a reference to all observed traffic both in my control and those not (ie; VFR 1200) before relinquishing control.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACY CTLR OBSERVED PHL APCH CTLR DSND ACR; AT APPROX 7000 FT; THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT; RESULTING IN OPERROR BY THE PHL CTLR.

Narrative: ON NOV/SUN/05; AT APPROX XA00-XB00; A C172; ON AN IFR ENRTE CLRNC THROUGH ACY AIRSPACE AND ESTABLISHED ON V16 AT 7000 FT; CAME INTO CONFLICT WITH A COMMERCIAL ACFT TRAVELING E TO W ENRTE TO PHL; DSNDING THROUGH 7000 FT JUST IN FRONT OF THE C172. I IMMEDIATELY RPTED THIS TO THE SUPVR ON DUTY; WHO WAS SITTING AT THE W RADAR SCOPE AND STATED THAT HE/SHE 'SAW IT.' HE/SHE CALLED PHL SUPVR AND DISCOVERED THAT THE COMMERCIAL ACFT HAD THE C172 ON V16 IN SIGHT AND WAS MAINTAINING VISUAL SEPARATION EVEN THOUGH HIS TCAS ALARMED. THE PLT STATED 'THE CESSNA WASN'T A FACTOR; BECAUSE OF THEIR AIRSPD AND HIS RATE OF DSCNT.' THE C172 CONTINUED ON V16 AND MADE NO COMMENT. RECOMMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT A FURTHER EVENT: 1) OPEN ADDITIONAL CTL POS (IE; ADDD OR CI) TO ASSIST THE CTLR DURING PERIODS OF HIGH SATURATION (AN EXTRA PAIR OF EYES COULD MAKE THE DIFFERENCE). 2) CTLR MUST KNOW WHEN TO SAY NO! WHEN HIS/MY LEVEL OF ACCEPTANCE IS REACHED. 3) MAKE NOTE THAT WHEN I ACCEPT A POINTOUT TO ANOTHER FACILITY; MAKE A REF TO ALL OBSERVED TFC BOTH IN MY CTL AND THOSE NOT (IE; VFR 1200) BEFORE RELINQUISHING CTL.

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.