Less than standard separation between commuter and small aircraft. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	95794
Time
Date	198810
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : czq airport : fat
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10400
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : fat
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Medium Large Transport
Flight Phase	descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute airway : v23
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	95794
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

While working north radar at the fresno TRACON I took a handoff on small aircraft Y 10 mi south of the czq VOR, nwbnd on V23 level at 10000'. 2 mins later I took a handoff on commuter X 20 mi west of the czq VOR at 16000' descending to 11000'. I was talking to numerous aircraft at the time and vectoring several to the final approach course. I neglected to notice when Y's beacon tag dropped off the screen, when he crossed the main bang. I descended X to 7000' I scanned the display and observed that X was descending from 10700' and 4 mi west of small aircraft Y heading directly at him. I turned X right to a heading of 180 degrees, and Y right to a heading of 360 degrees. The aircraft passed within 3 mi and less than 1000' of each other. Contributing factors: lack of a qualified data person to assist at north radar. Inundated with numerous aircraft during the rush hour. Lack of an MSAW device on the equipment now in use.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN COMMUTER AND SMA. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: WHILE WORKING N RADAR AT THE FRESNO TRACON I TOOK A HDOF ON SMA Y 10 MI S OF THE CZQ VOR, NWBND ON V23 LEVEL AT 10000'. 2 MINS LATER I TOOK A HDOF ON COMMUTER X 20 MI W OF THE CZQ VOR AT 16000' DSNDING TO 11000'. I WAS TALKING TO NUMEROUS ACFT AT THE TIME AND VECTORING SEVERAL TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE. I NEGLECTED TO NOTICE WHEN Y'S BEACON TAG DROPPED OFF THE SCREEN, WHEN HE CROSSED THE MAIN BANG. I DSNDED X TO 7000' I SCANNED THE DISPLAY AND OBSERVED THAT X WAS DSNDING FROM 10700' AND 4 MI W OF SMA Y HDG DIRECTLY AT HIM. I TURNED X RIGHT TO A HDG OF 180 DEGS, AND Y RIGHT TO A HDG OF 360 DEGS. THE ACFT PASSED WITHIN 3 MI AND LESS THAN 1000' OF EACH OTHER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: LACK OF A QUALIFIED DATA PERSON TO ASSIST AT N RADAR. INUNDATED WITH NUMEROUS ACFT DURING THE RUSH HOUR. LACK OF AN MSAW DEVICE ON THE EQUIP NOW IN USE.

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.