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Air carrier-large transport climbing conflicted with air carrier-medium large transport descending toward same VOR, resulting in less than standard separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 87721 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198805 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bkw |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29600 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : developmental |
| Experience | controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 87721 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 27900 vertical : 1400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Large transport X sebnd from yrk to bkw, en route from cvg to lga. Large transport X was level FL310, requesting FL330. Medium large transport Y en route from bna to dca level FL330 and converging with large transport X at bkw. Since dca is closer to bkw than lga, I decided to swap altitudes with the aircraft to help the controller at washington center. Approximately 50 mi southwest of bkw, medium large transport Y was issued descent clearance to FL290. My attention was diverted from the situation for a couple of minutes by actions being done in another area of the sector. I then climbed large transport X to FL330. When ca activated, I attempted to turn large transport X east to stay in front of medium large transport Y. Medium large transport Y was told to hurry down to FL290. Aedp activated with 4.65 mi and 1400'. When medium large transport Y was issued descent clearance to FL290, the time was XX90:30Z. He did not reach FL280 until XX14:48Z. I had anticipated medium large transport Y to descend much quicker than he did. It took 5 mins and 18 seconds to descend 4000', which I felt was more than enough time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR-LGT CLIMBING CONFLICTED WITH ACR-MLG DESCENDING TOWARD SAME VOR, RESULTING IN LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.
Narrative: LGT X SEBND FROM YRK TO BKW, ENRTE FROM CVG TO LGA. LGT X WAS LEVEL FL310, REQUESTING FL330. MLG Y ENRTE FROM BNA TO DCA LEVEL FL330 AND CONVERGING WITH LGT X AT BKW. SINCE DCA IS CLOSER TO BKW THAN LGA, I DECIDED TO SWAP ALTS WITH THE ACFT TO HELP THE CTLR AT WASHINGTON CENTER. APPROX 50 MI SW OF BKW, MLG Y WAS ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO FL290. MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED FROM THE SITUATION FOR A COUPLE OF MINUTES BY ACTIONS BEING DONE IN ANOTHER AREA OF THE SECTOR. I THEN CLBED LGT X TO FL330. WHEN CA ACTIVATED, I ATTEMPTED TO TURN LGT X E TO STAY IN FRONT OF MLG Y. MLG Y WAS TOLD TO HURRY DOWN TO FL290. AEDP ACTIVATED WITH 4.65 MI AND 1400'. WHEN MLG Y WAS ISSUED DSCNT CLRNC TO FL290, THE TIME WAS XX90:30Z. HE DID NOT REACH FL280 UNTIL XX14:48Z. I HAD ANTICIPATED MLG Y TO DSND MUCH QUICKER THAN HE DID. IT TOOK 5 MINS AND 18 SECS TO DSND 4000', WHICH I FELT WAS MORE THAN ENOUGH TIME.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.