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ZDC controller experienced operational error at FL330 when dir routing went unnoticed and descent was issued through occupied altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 780513 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200803 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : sie.vortac |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : developmental |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 0.75 |
| ASRS Report | 780513 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 29100 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Gave aircraft Y descent from FL340 to FL300. On the route; he would have passed behind aircraft X northbound at FL330; but aircraft Y was direct to fkn which pulled him closer than expected. I immediately turned aircraft Y away and expedited his descent as he was already through FL335. However; I had to call the next sector to turn aircraft X as I had already switched him to the next frequency. The aircraft Y being direct and not on the route certainly was a factor. However; I also believe that fatigue was a factor. Staffing was minimal to say the least and I had only had 2 30-min breaks 5 hours into my 8 hour shift; both of which we were paged back to the area due to staffing. I had also been busy all the times I had worked that night. The night before; when I was there on overtime; had been worse. I am sure complacency was also a factor as I had just noticed a busy push and it had slowed down significantly.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL330 WHEN DIR ROUTING WENT UNNOTICED AND DESCENT WAS ISSUED THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.
Narrative: GAVE ACFT Y DSCNT FROM FL340 TO FL300. ON THE RTE; HE WOULD HAVE PASSED BEHIND ACFT X NBOUND AT FL330; BUT ACFT Y WAS DIRECT TO FKN WHICH PULLED HIM CLOSER THAN EXPECTED. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ACFT Y AWAY AND EXPEDITED HIS DSCNT AS HE WAS ALREADY THROUGH FL335. HOWEVER; I HAD TO CALL THE NEXT SECTOR TO TURN ACFT X AS I HAD ALREADY SWITCHED HIM TO THE NEXT FREQ. THE ACFT Y BEING DIRECT AND NOT ON THE RTE CERTAINLY WAS A FACTOR. HOWEVER; I ALSO BELIEVE THAT FATIGUE WAS A FACTOR. STAFFING WAS MINIMAL TO SAY THE LEAST AND I HAD ONLY HAD 2 30-MIN BREAKS 5 HRS INTO MY 8 HR SHIFT; BOTH OF WHICH WE WERE PAGED BACK TO THE AREA DUE TO STAFFING. I HAD ALSO BEEN BUSY ALL THE TIMES I HAD WORKED THAT NIGHT. THE NIGHT BEFORE; WHEN I WAS THERE ON OVERTIME; HAD BEEN WORSE. I AM SURE COMPLACENCY WAS ALSO A FACTOR AS I HAD JUST NOTICED A BUSY PUSH AND IT HAD SLOWED DOWN SIGNIFICANTLY.
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.