Narrative:

Classic breakdown of the chain. Sna tower mishandled an aircraft; the P46T and put him out on a pq class departure with the wrong information in the data block. At the adjacent sector; the controller received a late frequency switch on the A320. While we were working to fix our problems; the adjacent controller was turning the A320 sbound toward our airspace. Since the data block was not displayed on the scope due to a technical glitch; he/she was unaware of the traffic. I realized it and established visual and then leaned over and made the point of telling him/her and pointing at the targets. He/she was turned away from him/her scope engaged in a conversation with another controller. One of the controllers across the room heard me make the coordination I was so loud. He/she turned the A320 late and so there was an RA and investigation. While technically; nothing happened; it was ugly. This incident only goes to show what happens when inexperienced controllers are placed under such strain due to overtime and fatigue. I have had a paradigm shift in my modus operandi. It is imperative that controllers; new ones in particular; make a commitment to being focused and in the game. I see so many new controllers who are not in the game as much as they need to be. I may have yrs of experience; but I am a rookie in this arena. Most of my colleagues in training are also low time radar controllers with little time in the profession compared to me. It is a recipe for disaster when the experience goes out the door; and the FAA is remiss in not fixing the problem when they were warned. We need less overtime; especially for the new controllers; and more bodies who can do the tough jobs.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR DESCRIBED NEAR LOSS OF SEPARATION WHEN SNA TWR FAILED TO ENTER CORRECT AUTOMATED DATA BLOCK INFO; NO OPERROR RECORDED.

Narrative: CLASSIC BREAKDOWN OF THE CHAIN. SNA TWR MISHANDLED AN ACFT; THE P46T AND PUT HIM OUT ON A PQ CLASS DEP WITH THE WRONG INFO IN THE DATA BLOCK. AT THE ADJACENT SECTOR; THE CTLR RECEIVED A LATE FREQ SWITCH ON THE A320. WHILE WE WERE WORKING TO FIX OUR PROBS; THE ADJACENT CTLR WAS TURNING THE A320 SBOUND TOWARD OUR AIRSPACE. SINCE THE DATA BLOCK WAS NOT DISPLAYED ON THE SCOPE DUE TO A TECHNICAL GLITCH; HE/SHE WAS UNAWARE OF THE TFC. I REALIZED IT AND ESTABLISHED VISUAL AND THEN LEANED OVER AND MADE THE POINT OF TELLING HIM/HER AND POINTING AT THE TARGETS. HE/SHE WAS TURNED AWAY FROM HIM/HER SCOPE ENGAGED IN A CONVERSATION WITH ANOTHER CTLR. ONE OF THE CTLRS ACROSS THE ROOM HEARD ME MAKE THE COORD I WAS SO LOUD. HE/SHE TURNED THE A320 LATE AND SO THERE WAS AN RA AND INVESTIGATION. WHILE TECHNICALLY; NOTHING HAPPENED; IT WAS UGLY. THIS INCIDENT ONLY GOES TO SHOW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN INEXPERIENCED CTLRS ARE PLACED UNDER SUCH STRAIN DUE TO OVERTIME AND FATIGUE. I HAVE HAD A PARADIGM SHIFT IN MY MODUS OPERANDI. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT CTLRS; NEW ONES IN PARTICULAR; MAKE A COMMITMENT TO BEING FOCUSED AND IN THE GAME. I SEE SO MANY NEW CTLRS WHO ARE NOT IN THE GAME AS MUCH AS THEY NEED TO BE. I MAY HAVE YRS OF EXPERIENCE; BUT I AM A ROOKIE IN THIS ARENA. MOST OF MY COLLEAGUES IN TRAINING ARE ALSO LOW TIME RADAR CTLRS WITH LITTLE TIME IN THE PROFESSION COMPARED TO ME. IT IS A RECIPE FOR DISASTER WHEN THE EXPERIENCE GOES OUT THE DOOR; AND THE FAA IS REMISS IN NOT FIXING THE PROB WHEN THEY WERE WARNED. WE NEED LESS OVERTIME; ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW CTLRS; AND MORE BODIES WHO CAN DO THE TOUGH JOBS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of May 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.