37000 Feet

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ZDC controller witnessed a loss of separation event during a heavy departure push with aircraft departing a special event. Special arrivals procedures were established but departure procedures were not formalized therefore; the need for coordinated departure actions existed.

Narrative:

Multiple inbounds into numerous airports at surrounding facilities requiring continuous altitude changes on most aircraft. Unusual volume of aircraft into svh; clt; gso; jqf. Lack of any resemblance of order to arrival traffic. Atlanta center advised us to slow aircraft to 250 KTS because of holding for weather in their airspace. Radar controller was busy controlling aircraft; while my focus was on checking for proper routing's and checking numerous field 11 amendments in uret for pertinent information. My first indication that there was a problem was an audio alert from pilot responding to an RA followed by a second pilot also responding to same. I then observed the two aircraft involved moving vertically apart from what appeared to be a loss of separation. Radar controller concurred with the pilots actions. Separation was reestablished. Recommendation; in my observations over the years; there has never been any flow control or restrictions in place for this special event traffic in returning 'home' after the event. It is a free flow affecting multiple areas and sectors within washington center. It is take it all and make it work. There are flow procedures in place for arrivals but not departures. I recommend procedures to be established to prevent future problems.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC Controller witnessed a loss of separation event during a heavy departure push with aircraft departing a special event. Special arrivals procedures were established but departure procedures were not formalized therefore; the need for coordinated departure actions existed.

Narrative: Multiple inbounds into numerous airports at surrounding facilities requiring continuous altitude changes on most aircraft. Unusual volume of aircraft into SVH; CLT; GSO; JQF. Lack of any resemblance of order to arrival traffic. Atlanta Center advised us to slow aircraft to 250 KTS because of holding for weather in their airspace. RADAR Controller was busy controlling aircraft; while my focus was on checking for proper routing's and checking numerous field 11 amendments in URET for pertinent information. My first indication that there was a problem was an audio alert from pilot responding to an RA followed by a second pilot also responding to same. I then observed the two aircraft involved moving vertically apart from what appeared to be a loss of separation. Radar Controller concurred with the pilots actions. Separation was reestablished. Recommendation; in my observations over the years; there has never been any flow control or restrictions in place for this special event traffic in returning 'home' after the event. It is a free flow affecting multiple areas and sectors within Washington Center. It is take it all and make it work. There are flow procedures in place for arrivals but not departures. I recommend procedures to be established to prevent future problems.

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.