 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Reporters' state loss of separation between two aircraft due to main aircraft not acknowledging altitude change. Frequency problems and weather may be attributable factors.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 1160400 |
| Time | |
| Date | 201403 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801-2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | ZDC.ARTCC |
| State Reference | VA |
| Environment | |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Make Model Name | Airbus Industrie Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Climb |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Make Model Name | Boeing Company Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | Cruise |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) 4 |
| Person 2 | |
| Function | Enroute |
| Qualification | Air Traffic Control Fully Certified |
| Experience | Air Traffic Control Time Certified In Pos 1 (yrs) .5 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | ATC Issue All Types Conflict Airborne Conflict Deviation - Procedural Clearance Deviation - Procedural Published Material / Policy |
Narrative:
I was working R27 and R36 combined; just went through a pretty busy push with d-side training going on. I had several aircraft deviating for weather and turbulence. I had to repeat myself to at least 6 or 7 different aircraft during this session; at the time I wasn't aware that other controllers were having issues with the frequency's for both sectors. I had aircraft X depart out of clt [bound for europe]; I climbed the aircraft to FL270 on initial contact; [and] then I climbed aircraft X to FL300 to step him up reference traffic! Once the aircraft was clear I then climbed him to FL350 the requested alt; sector 16 had traffic on J14 going to ZZZ at FL350; sector 16 coordinated with the d-side trainee to stop aircraft Z at FL340; the d-side then told me. Once I was told I transmitted to aircraft X to amend the altitude to FL340 for traffic. I was sure that the aircraft got the altitude change and he read it back; a couple other clearances went out and the soup wanted sector 27 to get split out. I assumed everything was fine because the d-side; the trainer and myself all thought aircraft X took the amended clearance; no one told me any different so; right before I started my relief briefing I switched the aircraft X which I found out later the aircraft did not get the frequency change. Then I gave my relief briefing and they split out sector 27; after I got up the trainer told me that aircraft X got with aircraft Y going to ZZZ on J14 around the crewe intersection. I was not aware that sector 16 did not have the aircraft; aircraft X ended up still being on sector 27's frequency after the sectors were split. Aircraft X climbed to FL350 which is the altitude the aircraft Y was at; both aircraft got a RA or TCAS event!I missed that aircraft X did not get the altitude change so that is my fault; but I definitely think the frequency issues at both sectors 27 and 36 were a contributing factor in this issue.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: Reporters' state loss of separation between two aircraft due to main aircraft not acknowledging altitude change. Frequency problems and weather may be attributable factors.
Narrative: I was working R27 and R36 combined; just went through a pretty busy push with D-side training going on. I had several aircraft deviating for weather and turbulence. I had to repeat myself to at least 6 or 7 different aircraft during this session; at the time I wasn't aware that other controllers were having issues with the frequency's for both sectors. I had Aircraft X depart out of CLT [bound for Europe]; I climbed the aircraft to FL270 on initial contact; [and] then I climbed Aircraft X to FL300 to step him up reference traffic! Once the aircraft was clear I then climbed him to FL350 the requested alt; Sector 16 had traffic on J14 going to ZZZ at FL350; Sector 16 coordinated with the D-side trainee to stop Aircraft Z at FL340; the d-side then told me. Once I was told I transmitted to Aircraft X to amend the altitude to FL340 for traffic. I was sure that the aircraft got the altitude change and he read it back; a couple other clearances went out and the soup wanted Sector 27 to get split out. I assumed everything was fine because the d-side; the trainer and myself all thought Aircraft X took the amended clearance; no one told me any different so; right before I started my relief briefing I switched the Aircraft X which I found out later the aircraft did not get the frequency change. Then I gave my relief briefing and they split out Sector 27; after I got up the trainer told me that Aircraft X got with Aircraft Y going to ZZZ on J14 around the CREWE intersection. I was not aware that Sector 16 did not have the aircraft; Aircraft X ended up still being on Sector 27's frequency after the sectors were split. Aircraft X climbed to FL350 which is the altitude the Aircraft Y was at; both aircraft got a RA or TCAS event!I missed that Aircraft X did not get the altitude change so that is my fault; but I definitely think the frequency issues at both Sectors 27 and 36 were a contributing factor in this issue.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site 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.