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ARTCC radar controller descended light transport to altitude of another small transport with less than standard separation. Controller planning poor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 89611 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198806 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mgw |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 29600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zob |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 1 |
| ASRS Report | 89611 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | Other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| 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 |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24000 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
While vectoring light transport X away from overtaking military aircraft, light transport X came into conflict with small transport Y at FL290 descending to FL270. (Light transport X out of FL310 for FL290.) military aircraft was at FL330 and on vector for inbound corridor rerte and to go behind light transport X at FL330. Had another military aircraft. Failing automation handoff with ZDC. While in process of making manual handoff along with re-entering automated handoff with ZDC, I noticed mlt aircraft overtaking light transport X. Vectors were made to both aircraft but mlt could not descend due to another aircraft at FL310. Therefore light transport X was instructed to descend to avoid conflict. Altitude issued was FL310. Soon after small transport Y was instructed to turn 20 degrees right and descend to FL270, so as to make room for light transport X to continue descent. Few seconds later light transport X was instructed to continue descent to FL290 and report leaving FL310. He replied 'leaving FL310,' before small transport Y was observed leaving FL290. Light transport X was issued another turn to miss small transport Y, but not after coming within 4 mi and 600' of small transport Y.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR DESCENDED LTT TO ALT OF ANOTHER SMT WITH LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION. CTLR PLANNING POOR.
Narrative: WHILE VECTORING LTT X AWAY FROM OVERTAKING MIL ACFT, LTT X CAME INTO CONFLICT WITH SMT Y AT FL290 DSNDING TO FL270. (LTT X OUT OF FL310 FOR FL290.) MIL ACFT WAS AT FL330 AND ON VECTOR FOR INBND CORRIDOR RERTE AND TO GO BEHIND LTT X AT FL330. HAD ANOTHER MIL ACFT. FAILING AUTOMATION HDOF WITH ZDC. WHILE IN PROCESS OF MAKING MANUAL HDOF ALONG WITH RE-ENTERING AUTOMATED HDOF WITH ZDC, I NOTICED MLT ACFT OVERTAKING LTT X. VECTORS WERE MADE TO BOTH ACFT BUT MLT COULD NOT DSND DUE TO ANOTHER ACFT AT FL310. THEREFORE LTT X WAS INSTRUCTED TO DSND TO AVOID CONFLICT. ALT ISSUED WAS FL310. SOON AFTER SMT Y WAS INSTRUCTED TO TURN 20 DEGS RIGHT AND DSND TO FL270, SO AS TO MAKE ROOM FOR LTT X TO CONTINUE DSCNT. FEW SECS LATER LTT X WAS INSTRUCTED TO CONTINUE DSCNT TO FL290 AND RPT LEAVING FL310. HE REPLIED 'LEAVING FL310,' BEFORE SMT Y WAS OBSERVED LEAVING FL290. LTT X WAS ISSUED ANOTHER TURN TO MISS SMT Y, BUT NOT AFTER COMING WITHIN 4 MI AND 600' OF SMT Y.
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.