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Mem TRACON controller described near loss of separation event reportedly caused because of poorly planned speed control efforts/procedures used by ZME controllers.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 858097 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200910 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | MEM.Airport |
| State Reference | TN |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | DC-10 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Route In Use | STAR HLI |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 135 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Descent |
| Route In Use | STAR HLI |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Departure Approach |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Non Radar 6.5 Air Traffic Control Radar 14 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (mon) 9 Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 6 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types |
| Miss Distance | Horizontal 20000 Vertical 1000 |
Narrative:
I was working east arrival and departure combined. I had a heavy and an E135 inbound on the hli arrival from the southeast. The heavy had leveled off at 10000 and had slowed. The E135 was still descending and indicating 70 KTS faster. I called memphis center and asked them to stop the E135 at 11000 and give me control. They told me they had slowed the E135 to 250 KTS and asked if I would like the E135 on the 250 heading he was currently on. I approved the heading and reiterated my request for control. When I talked to the E135; I slowed him to 210 KTS and vectored to provide proper wake turbulence spacing behind the heavy. I believe this stems from memphis center issuing a clearance that has aircraft maintain a speed to our border and then resume normal speed. Some of the heavy's are configured to slow to 245 KTS at 40 miles from mem. If the pilots don't reconfigure; centers clearances leave them with a great deal of compression. Mem ATCT management has been advised of this.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: MEM TRACON Controller described near loss of separation event reportedly caused because of poorly planned speed control efforts/procedures used by ZME controllers.
Narrative: I was working east arrival and departure combined. I had a heavy and an E135 inbound on the HLI arrival from the southeast. The heavy had leveled off at 10000 and had slowed. The E135 was still descending and indicating 70 KTS faster. I called Memphis Center and asked them to stop the E135 at 11000 and give me control. They told me they had slowed the E135 to 250 KTS and asked if I would like the E135 on the 250 heading he was currently on. I approved the heading and reiterated my request for control. When I talked to the E135; I slowed him to 210 KTS and vectored to provide proper wake turbulence spacing behind the heavy. I believe this stems from Memphis Center issuing a clearance that has aircraft maintain a speed to our border and then resume normal speed. Some of the heavy's are configured to slow to 245 KTS at 40 miles from MEM. If the pilots don't reconfigure; Centers clearances leave them with a great deal of compression. MEM ATCT management has been advised of this.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of April 2012 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.