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Enroute controller described a loss of separation event that may have involved the issuance of altitude phraseology and misunderstanding of same.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 995513 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201202 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201-1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZZZ.ARTCC |
| State Reference | US |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Altitude Excursion From Assigned Altitude Deviation - Procedural Clearance |
Narrative:
Air carrier X (A320) was level at 350 going into one airport; air carrier Y; also an A320; was at 360; landing at another. My trainee issued traffic to the air carrier Y; '11 o'clock one zero miles southbound airbus 320 one thousand feet below you; expect lower passing traffic.' air carrier Y read back; 'roger; maintaining FL360.' traffic was issued to air carrier X. About 20 seconds later; air carrier Y said 'traffic in sight; going direct to the fix descending to 120.' my trainee said; negative maintain FL360; issued traffic again; and told the pilot to report level at 360. But air carrier Y had already descended to FL357 before going back up. It's hard to say what to recommend in this situation. I believe my trainee used the right traffic call using 'one thousand feet below you' instead of 'traffic at FL350.' I was told that the charts show the STAR arrival as a profile descent; but I personally haven't seen the charts. Maybe the charts need to be updated if that is the case.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Enroute Controller described a loss of separation event that may have involved the issuance of altitude phraseology and misunderstanding of same.
Narrative: Air Carrier X (A320) was level at 350 going into one airport; Air Carrier Y; also an A320; was at 360; landing at another. My trainee issued traffic to the Air Carrier Y; '11 o'clock one zero miles southbound Airbus 320 one thousand feet below you; expect lower passing traffic.' Air Carrier Y read back; 'roger; maintaining FL360.' Traffic was issued to Air Carrier X. About 20 seconds later; Air Carrier Y said 'traffic in sight; going direct to the fix descending to 120.' My trainee said; negative maintain FL360; issued traffic again; and told the pilot to report level at 360. But Air Carrier Y had already descended to FL357 before going back up. It's hard to say what to recommend in this situation. I believe my trainee used the right traffic call using 'one thousand feet below you' instead of 'traffic at FL350.' I was told that the charts show the STAR arrival as a profile descent; but I personally haven't seen the charts. Maybe the charts need to be updated if that is the case.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2013 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.