Air carrier aircraft deviating for WX and poor coordination created a less than standard separation ...

Attributes
ACN	93403
Time
Date	198808
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ekn
State Reference	WV
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31200
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zob artcc : zdc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data controller : radar oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 16 controller supervisory : 12
ASRS Report	93403
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : weather non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 13800 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Large transport Y was 30 mi west of route shown flight plan. Cle center did not ensure compliance with control instructions (heading of 190 degrees issued). Large transport Y was deviating around WX west/O my knowledge or approval. Large transport X was wbound at FL310 on J149, 10 mi east of ekn. Large transport Y was southbound 30 mi wnw ekn at FL310. Cle center bel-air hi sector coordinated with me for large transport Y to fly heading 150 degrees to go behind traffic. I said unable to approve due to my having 3 aircraft wbound at FL310. I told him to issue 190 degree heading to large transport Y and I would issue 20 degree right for large transport X. They said ok, large transport Y turned eastbound into my traffic resulting in 2.3 mi latitude sep. Large transport Y did not check on the frequency and when I observed the altitude readout go to FL312, FL314, FL370, I thought bel-air hi was climbing the large transport Y. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: reporter specified type aircraft involved as lgts. Traffic vol was light and reporter was working a combined position. Traffic advisory was given to large transport X and he reported having the large transport Y in sight. Reporter tried to get large transport X to turn for more sep, but large transport X refused to turn due to WX. Large transport Y was deviating around WX also, but his deviation was not coordinated by ZOB controller nor had the aircraft been given a frequency change. Interfacility coordination was hampered by ZOB handoff controller having to relay information to radar controller. Aircraft were supposed to be on crossing courses, but due to WX deviation, they were actually opp direction at same altitude.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR ACFT DEVIATING FOR WX AND POOR COORD CREATED A LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION INCIDENT. ACFT UNDER SEPARATE ATC JURISDICTION.

Narrative: LGT Y WAS 30 MI W OF ROUTE SHOWN FLT PLAN. CLE CENTER DID NOT ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH CTL INSTRUCTIONS (HDG OF 190 DEGS ISSUED). LGT Y WAS DEVIATING AROUND WX W/O MY KNOWLEDGE OR APPROVAL. LGT X WAS WBOUND AT FL310 ON J149, 10 MI E OF EKN. LGT Y WAS SBND 30 MI WNW EKN AT FL310. CLE CENTER BEL-AIR HI SECTOR COORDINATED WITH ME FOR LGT Y TO FLY HDG 150 DEGS TO GO BEHIND TFC. I SAID UNABLE TO APPROVE DUE TO MY HAVING 3 ACFT WBOUND AT FL310. I TOLD HIM TO ISSUE 190 DEG HDG TO LGT Y AND I WOULD ISSUE 20 DEG RIGHT FOR LGT X. THEY SAID OK, LGT Y TURNED EBND INTO MY TFC RESULTING IN 2.3 MI LAT SEP. LGT Y DID NOT CHK ON THE FREQ AND WHEN I OBSERVED THE ALT READOUT GO TO FL312, FL314, FL370, I THOUGHT BEL-AIR HI WAS CLBING THE LGT Y. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: RPTR SPECIFIED TYPE ACFT INVOLVED AS LGTS. TFC VOL WAS LIGHT AND RPTR WAS WORKING A COMBINED POS. TFC ADVISORY WAS GIVEN TO LGT X AND HE RPTED HAVING THE LGT Y IN SIGHT. RPTR TRIED TO GET LGT X TO TURN FOR MORE SEP, BUT LGT X REFUSED TO TURN DUE TO WX. LGT Y WAS DEVIATING AROUND WX ALSO, BUT HIS DEVIATION WAS NOT COORDINATED BY ZOB CTLR NOR HAD THE ACFT BEEN GIVEN A FREQ CHANGE. INTERFAC COORD WAS HAMPERED BY ZOB HDOF CTLR HAVING TO RELAY INFO TO RADAR CTLR. ACFT WERE SUPPOSED TO BE ON XING COURSES, BUT DUE TO WX DEVIATION, THEY WERE ACTUALLY OPP DIRECTION AT SAME ALT.

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.

Air carrier aircraft deviating for WX and poor coordination created a less than standard separation incident. Aircraft under separate ATC jurisdiction.