ZMA controller described a conflict event involving traffic being handled; noting positions were com...

Narrative:

I was vectoring a helicopter onto the vr 11R approach course at vrb. A VFR aircraft called going northbound. As soon as the VFR was identified; it became apparent that traffic needed to be called for him; head on; on a vrb southbounder. The helicopter was looking for the 1;500 ft traffic; that I believe; he called in sight. As I kept doing traffic calls to the two vfrs; readying myself to do a traffic alert; the one got the other in sight. I then heard the helicopter state that he had to take evasive maneuvers for traffic and descend. I issued him the MVA of 1;600 ft. I again called the traffic at 1;500 ft but he said the was traffic at his altitude. I was on a 75 mile scale; not the usual of 44 miles; and missed the traffic call. The sectors were combined up too early and I had to do approaches on a less than desirable scale. I was told to work R3/4/22/23. We were short-staffed because of controllers that were off the board for projects and/or training and they weren't back-filled. In my opinion; this huge scale I was on; and no d-side; to look for traffic; were the only reasons this near-miss happened. Recommendation; call in overtime to back-fill for people that are missing from the schedule. Traffic advisories are a big part of our job in the vrb terminal sector and supervisors that have never trained or worked that airspace don't realize this and prematurely combine sectors leading to near disasters like this.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZMA Controller described a conflict event involving traffic being handled; noting positions were combined and traffic was being worked on a display scale that was less that desirable.

Narrative: I was vectoring a helicopter onto the VR 11R approach course at VRB. A VFR aircraft called going northbound. As soon as the VFR was identified; it became apparent that traffic needed to be called for him; head on; on a VRB southbounder. The helicopter was looking for the 1;500 FT traffic; that I believe; he called in sight. As I kept doing traffic calls to the two VFRs; readying myself to do a traffic alert; the one got the other in sight. I then heard the helicopter state that he had to take evasive maneuvers for traffic and descend. I issued him the MVA of 1;600 FT. I again called the traffic at 1;500 FT but he said the was traffic at his altitude. I was on a 75 mile scale; not the usual of 44 miles; and missed the traffic call. The sectors were combined up too early and I had to do approaches on a less than desirable scale. I was told to work R3/4/22/23. We were short-staffed because of controllers that were off the board for projects and/or training and they weren't back-filled. In my opinion; this huge scale I was on; and no D-Side; to look for traffic; were the only reasons this near-miss happened. Recommendation; call in overtime to back-fill for people that are missing from the schedule. Traffic advisories are a big part of our job in the VRB terminal sector and Supervisors that have never trained or worked that airspace don't realize this and prematurely combine sectors leading to near disasters like 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.

Attributes
ACN	908921
Time
Date	201009
Local Time Of Day	0001-0600
Place
Locale Reference	ZMA.ARTCC
State Reference	FL
Aircraft 1
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	Cruise
Route In Use	Vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Plan	VFR
Person 1
Qualification	Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Events
Anomaly	ATC Issue All Types

ZMA controller described a conflict event involving traffic being handled; noting positions were combined and traffic was being worked on a display scale that was less that desirable.