Sct controller voiced concern regarding air carrier's turn to downwind at lax into opposite directio...

Attributes
ACN	795372
Time
Date	200807
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lax.airport
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl single value : 2500
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : sct.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent : approach
Route In Use	arrival star : sadde
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	795372
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Chart Or Publication Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	Ambiguous

Narrative:

This is the second night in a row while working the stadium sector that an aircraft has turned unexpectedly on the downwind towards the final into the path of straight in traffic. Fortunately the straight in traffic was high enough that I could restrict their altitude to turn the deviating aircraft back to the downwind. I queried the commuter jet why they had turned and they said they were just complying with the STAR (SADDE6 arrival) which does say to turn at that point. The previous controller was supposed to issue a heading to maintain after santa monica instead of flying the STAR. I have brought it to the attention of the operational supervisor who was 'going to look into it.' since there was no loss of separation this will probably not be looked at as an issue and not researched closer from a training or system perspective. I believe it is a result of our area being split up and having controllers work this position without a thorough training experience. Sadly; some of these newly certified controllers are training others and the 'experience and knowledge pool' is getting thin. Finally; supervisors responsible for this position are often not even certified on the position so their understanding of their operational importance is minimal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SCT CTLR VOICED CONCERN REGARDING ACR'S TURN TO DOWNWIND AT LAX INTO OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC; UNSURE IF CTLR OR FLT CREW WAS CAUSAL FACTOR.

Narrative: THIS IS THE SECOND NIGHT IN A ROW WHILE WORKING THE STADIUM SECTOR THAT AN ACFT HAS TURNED UNEXPECTEDLY ON THE DOWNWIND TOWARDS THE FINAL INTO THE PATH OF STRAIGHT IN TFC. FORTUNATELY THE STRAIGHT IN TFC WAS HIGH ENOUGH THAT I COULD RESTRICT THEIR ALT TO TURN THE DEVIATING ACFT BACK TO THE DOWNWIND. I QUERIED THE COMMUTER JET WHY THEY HAD TURNED AND THEY SAID THEY WERE JUST COMPLYING WITH THE STAR (SADDE6 ARR) WHICH DOES SAY TO TURN AT THAT POINT. THE PREVIOUS CTLR WAS SUPPOSED TO ISSUE A HDG TO MAINTAIN AFTER SANTA MONICA INSTEAD OF FLYING THE STAR. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE ATTN OF THE OPERATIONAL SUPVR WHO WAS 'GOING TO LOOK INTO IT.' SINCE THERE WAS NO LOSS OF SEPARATION THIS WILL PROBABLY NOT BE LOOKED AT AS AN ISSUE AND NOT RESEARCHED CLOSER FROM A TRAINING OR SYS PERSPECTIVE. I BELIEVE IT IS A RESULT OF OUR AREA BEING SPLIT UP AND HAVING CTLRS WORK THIS POS WITHOUT A THOROUGH TRAINING EXPERIENCE. SADLY; SOME OF THESE NEWLY CERTIFIED CTLRS ARE TRAINING OTHERS AND THE 'EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE POOL' IS GETTING THIN. FINALLY; SUPVRS RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS POS ARE OFTEN NOT EVEN CERTIFIED ON THE POS SO THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OPERATIONAL IMPORTANCE IS MINIMAL.

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.

Sct controller voiced concern regarding air carrier's turn to downwind at lax into opposite direction traffic; unsure if controller or flight crew was causal factor.