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ZOA controller described near loss of separation at approximately FL230 expressing concern regarding controller training and other contributing factors.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 706683 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200608 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : lin.vortac |
| State Reference | CA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 23000 msl bound upper : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : vacating altitude climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zoa.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Boeing Company Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 18.5 |
| ASRS Report | 706683 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 30000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
Aircraft #1 was leveled at FL230 for traffic and shown to sector D for climb. No additional traffic was referenced. Climb to FL240 was issued to aircraft #1. Conflict alert activated with aircraft #2 at FL240. Controllers descended aircraft #1; climbed aircraft #2 -- no loss of minimum separation. The immediate responses of controllers and pilots avoided a very serious situation. The assistant controller has had other similar incidents and needs additional performance review and training. Had this been done at an earlier date or recognized during the training process; this and other similar situations would have been avoided. Additionally; airspace changes; preferential routings; built in conflicts; tolerance of sloppy control; noise and distrs in the control room added to the potential of this situation and future near misses.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZOA CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR LOSS OF SEPARATION AT APPROX FL230 EXPRESSING CONCERN REGARDING CTLR TRAINING AND OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS LEVELED AT FL230 FOR TFC AND SHOWN TO SECTOR D FOR CLB. NO ADDITIONAL TFC WAS REFED. CLB TO FL240 WAS ISSUED TO ACFT #1. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED WITH ACFT #2 AT FL240. CTLRS DSNDED ACFT #1; CLBED ACFT #2 -- NO LOSS OF MINIMUM SEPARATION. THE IMMEDIATE RESPONSES OF CTLRS AND PLTS AVOIDED A VERY SERIOUS SITUATION. THE ASSISTANT CTLR HAS HAD OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENTS AND NEEDS ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW AND TRAINING. HAD THIS BEEN DONE AT AN EARLIER DATE OR RECOGNIZED DURING THE TRAINING PROCESS; THIS AND OTHER SIMILAR SITUATIONS WOULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED. ADDITIONALLY; AIRSPACE CHANGES; PREFERENTIAL ROUTINGS; BUILT IN CONFLICTS; TOLERANCE OF SLOPPY CTL; NOISE AND DISTRS IN THE CTL ROOM ADDED TO THE POTENTIAL OF THIS SITUATION AND FUTURE NEAR MISSES.
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.