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ZDC controller experienced operational error at FL210 when aircraft was slow in descent and conflicted with crossing traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 759981 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200709 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : fak.vortac |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm Rain |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Transport Low Wing 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Airbus Industrie 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 : handoff position controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 2 |
| ASRS Report | 759981 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24600 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
WX at dulles airport was deteriorating. Aircraft #2 was inbound to dulles nebound. Aircraft #1 inbound to orf was eastbound. Aircraft #1 was cleared direct to orf and descended to 140 from FL210. Aircraft #2 checked on descending to FL220 crossing aircraft #1 and was given standard arrival restr to 100 and 250 KTS. Aircraft #1 again told to descend. Later asked if aircraft #1 was descending; but too late for oe. Factors due to low staffing and morale was physically and mentally tired. Late at night so pilot responded slowly; but mostly was controller fatigue. Past 2 nights worked too much WX and traffic and minimal staffing. Short breaks not enough controllers to assist and this oe occurred while waiting to be relieved to go home at end of very long shift.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL210 WHEN ACFT WAS SLOW IN DESCENT AND CONFLICTED WITH CROSSING TFC.
Narrative: WX AT DULLES ARPT WAS DETERIORATING. ACFT #2 WAS INBOUND TO DULLES NEBOUND. ACFT #1 INBOUND TO ORF WAS EBOUND. ACFT #1 WAS CLRED DIRECT TO ORF AND DSNDED TO 140 FROM FL210. ACFT #2 CHKED ON DSNDING TO FL220 XING ACFT #1 AND WAS GIVEN STANDARD ARR RESTR TO 100 AND 250 KTS. ACFT #1 AGAIN TOLD TO DSND. LATER ASKED IF ACFT #1 WAS DSNDING; BUT TOO LATE FOR OE. FACTORS DUE TO LOW STAFFING AND MORALE WAS PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY TIRED. LATE AT NIGHT SO PLT RESPONDED SLOWLY; BUT MOSTLY WAS CTLR FATIGUE. PAST 2 NIGHTS WORKED TOO MUCH WX AND TFC AND MINIMAL STAFFING. SHORT BREAKS NOT ENOUGH CTLRS TO ASSIST AND THIS OE OCCURRED WHILE WAITING TO BE RELIEVED TO GO HOME AT END OF VERY LONG SHIFT.
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.