Less than standard separation between corp aircraft and air carrier. Operational error.

Attributes
ACN	100148
Time
Date	198812
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	airport : lga
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 5800 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : n90 tower : ptk
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	100148
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument pilot : commercial
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9600 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working GA aircraft X which I turned eastbound at 5000'. I noticed him in the turn so I climbed him to 6000'. When I looked back he was sebnd again head on with air carrier Y. I then turned him northeast bound and climbed him to 9000'. He either turned sebnd again for some reason, or he never turned and the radar system was giving me false targets. I reported in my statement that we were having a lot of trouble with that radar system going into coast status. Callback conversation with reporter revealed following information. Reporter gave location of conflict, altitude of aircraft, miss distances. Says facility did classify as operational error. No one ever talked to pilot of aircraft X after incident. Says he was sure that aircraft X made turn, but evidently receiving false return target. Lga approach controller working air carrier Y gave air carrier a descent for avoidance.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN CORP ACFT AND ACR. OPERATIONAL ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING GA ACFT X WHICH I TURNED EBND AT 5000'. I NOTICED HIM IN THE TURN SO I CLBED HIM TO 6000'. WHEN I LOOKED BACK HE WAS SEBND AGAIN HEAD ON WITH ACR Y. I THEN TURNED HIM NE BOUND AND CLBED HIM TO 9000'. HE EITHER TURNED SEBND AGAIN FOR SOME REASON, OR HE NEVER TURNED AND THE RADAR SYS WAS GIVING ME FALSE TARGETS. I RPTED IN MY STATEMENT THAT WE WERE HAVING A LOT OF TROUBLE WITH THAT RADAR SYS GOING INTO COAST STATUS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED FOLLOWING INFO. RPTR GAVE LOCATION OF CONFLICT, ALT OF ACFT, MISS DISTANCES. SAYS FAC DID CLASSIFY AS OPERATIONAL ERROR. NO ONE EVER TALKED TO PLT OF ACFT X AFTER INCIDENT. SAYS HE WAS SURE THAT ACFT X MADE TURN, BUT EVIDENTLY RECEIVING FALSE RETURN TARGET. LGA APCH CTLR WORKING ACR Y GAVE ACR A DSCNT FOR AVOIDANCE.

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.