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ZBW controller described near loss of separation during busy/complex traffic period; citing lack of supervisor/tmu oversight as contributory.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 757175 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : baf.vortac |
| State Reference | CT |
| Altitude | msl single value : 34000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B747 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 757175 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
Narrative:
I was working a high altitude sector that was saturated and very complex. We were mixing 2 flows over baf VOR and needed to change altitude on numerous aircraft. Neither myself or my d-side caught the potential conflict with air carrier X and air carrier Y; who were both converging over baf VOR until they were within 10 mi of each other; I initiated a turn and descent to air carrier Y (B747) and was able to maintain separation. I estimate that separation would have been lost within a min. The sector was saturated for a full 30 mins prior; no assistance was provided by the supervisor. No in-trail was put in place to manage the flow of traffic. This was the same situation; the day prior; same sector; same supervisor; same overloaded situation. I think managing traffic flows and volume are not the focus of supervisors. Safety has taken a back seat to managing time on position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZBW CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR LOSS OF SEPARATION DURING BUSY/COMPLEX TFC PERIOD; CITING LACK OF SUPVR/TMU OVERSIGHT AS CONTRIBUTORY.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING A HIGH ALT SECTOR THAT WAS SATURATED AND VERY COMPLEX. WE WERE MIXING 2 FLOWS OVER BAF VOR AND NEEDED TO CHANGE ALT ON NUMEROUS ACFT. NEITHER MYSELF OR MY D-SIDE CAUGHT THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH ACR X AND ACR Y; WHO WERE BOTH CONVERGING OVER BAF VOR UNTIL THEY WERE WITHIN 10 MI OF EACH OTHER; I INITIATED A TURN AND DSCNT TO ACR Y (B747) AND WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. I ESTIMATE THAT SEPARATION WOULD HAVE BEEN LOST WITHIN A MIN. THE SECTOR WAS SATURATED FOR A FULL 30 MINS PRIOR; NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED BY THE SUPVR. NO IN-TRAIL WAS PUT IN PLACE TO MANAGE THE FLOW OF TFC. THIS WAS THE SAME SITUATION; THE DAY PRIOR; SAME SECTOR; SAME SUPVR; SAME OVERLOADED SITUATION. I THINK MANAGING TFC FLOWS AND VOLUME ARE NOT THE FOCUS OF SUPVRS. SAFETY HAS TAKEN A BACK SEAT TO MANAGING TIME ON POS.
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.