Less than standard separation between 2 IFR aircraft. System error.

Attributes
ACN	123952
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cak
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : cak artcc : zbw
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	other personnel other
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 10
ASRS Report	123952
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 1
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : investigated Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Two IFR aircraft 2 mi lateral separation. No altitude separation. The on duty supervisor knowingly denied the occurrence. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following: the reporter was evasive and couldn't remember much about the incident. He did state both aircraft were GA's. One a propeller the other a bizjet. The propeller was level and the bizjet was climbing. He was just watching the operation and saw 2 mi radar separation with converging courses. He reported this to the supervisor and the supervisor said he was watching the operation and saw 3 mi separation and diverging courses. This analyst believes this is a case of professional difference of opinion, and the controller is angry because an operational error was not filed by the supervisor. The controller working the position had been certified for 6 months.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 IFR ACFT. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: TWO IFR ACFT 2 MI LATERAL SEPARATION. NO ALT SEPARATION. THE ON DUTY SUPVR KNOWINGLY DENIED THE OCCURRENCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH REPORTER REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: THE REPORTER WAS EVASIVE AND COULDN'T REMEMBER MUCH ABOUT THE INCIDENT. HE DID STATE BOTH ACFT WERE GA'S. ONE A PROPELLER THE OTHER A BIZJET. THE PROPELLER WAS LEVEL AND THE BIZJET WAS CLIMBING. HE WAS JUST WATCHING THE OPERATION AND SAW 2 MI RADAR SEPARATION WITH CONVERGING COURSES. HE REPORTED THIS TO THE SUPVR AND THE SUPVR SAID HE WAS WATCHING THE OPERATION AND SAW 3 MI SEPARATION AND DIVERGING COURSES. THIS ANALYST BELIEVES THIS IS A CASE OF PROFESSIONAL DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, AND THE CTLR IS ANGRY BECAUSE AN OPERATIONAL ERROR WAS NOT FILED BY THE SUPVR. THE CTLR WORKING THE POSITION HAD BEEN CERTIFIED FOR 6 MONTHS.

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.