Sjc controller described operational deviation when deviation controller distracted by conversation ...

Attributes
ACN	790322
Time
Date	200806
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : sjc.airport
State Reference	CA
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	IAI1123 Westwind
Flight Phase	climbout : initial
Route In Use	departure sid : n/s
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : local instruction : trainee
Qualification	controller : developmental
ASRS Report	790322
Events
Anomaly	airspace violation : entry non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Developmental was receiving a skills check by flm (front line manager). During the session a westwind blew the departure SID and created much confusion. The developmental had scanned another aircraft awaiting departure; which required verbal coordination per LOA with the TRACON. The developmental inadvertently placed an 'right' on the flight progress strip without properly getting approval. The developmental launched the jet into another controller's sector/airspace without coordination. The TRACON flm called our facility to notify us of the deviation. Our facility chose not to do a qar or investigate the causal factors which is required per faao; directives and procedures. It was obvious that the events leading up to this error distraction both the developmental and ojti which resulted in poor 'CRM' to ensure that someone was 'flying the plane.' a good operating practice would have been for the flm/ojti to wait until after the training was completed and then discuss what happened with the westwind so as not to distract the developmental from accomplishing the required coordination. At the very least the flm/ojti should have caught the mistake; had he been paying attention and not engaging the developmental in conversation while on position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SJC CTLR DESCRIBED OPDEV WHEN DEV CTLR DISTRACTED BY CONVERSATION INADVERTENTLY RELEASED ACFT WITHOUT REQUIRED INTRAFAC COORD.

Narrative: DEVELOPMENTAL WAS RECEIVING A SKILLS CHK BY FLM (FRONT LINE MGR). DURING THE SESSION A WESTWIND BLEW THE DEP SID AND CREATED MUCH CONFUSION. THE DEVELOPMENTAL HAD SCANNED ANOTHER ACFT AWAITING DEP; WHICH REQUIRED VERBAL COORD PER LOA WITH THE TRACON. THE DEVELOPMENTAL INADVERTENTLY PLACED AN 'R' ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP WITHOUT PROPERLY GETTING APPROVAL. THE DEVELOPMENTAL LAUNCHED THE JET INTO ANOTHER CTLR'S SECTOR/AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD. THE TRACON FLM CALLED OUR FACILITY TO NOTIFY US OF THE DEV. OUR FACILITY CHOSE NOT TO DO A QAR OR INVESTIGATE THE CAUSAL FACTORS WHICH IS REQUIRED PER FAAO; DIRECTIVES AND PROCS. IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS ERROR DISTR BOTH THE DEVELOPMENTAL AND OJTI WHICH RESULTED IN POOR 'CRM' TO ENSURE THAT SOMEONE WAS 'FLYING THE PLANE.' A GOOD OPERATING PRACTICE WOULD HAVE BEEN FOR THE FLM/OJTI TO WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE TRAINING WAS COMPLETED AND THEN DISCUSS WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE WESTWIND SO AS NOT TO DISTRACT THE DEVELOPMENTAL FROM ACCOMPLISHING THE REQUIRED COORD. AT THE VERY LEAST THE FLM/OJTI SHOULD HAVE CAUGHT THE MISTAKE; HAD HE BEEN PAYING ATTN AND NOT ENGAGING THE DEVELOPMENTAL IN CONVERSATION WHILE ON POS.

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.

Sjc controller described operational deviation when deviation controller distracted by conversation inadvertently released aircraft without required intrafac coordination.