Less than standard separation between small transport X and mlt Y. System error.

Attributes
ACN	125520
Time
Date	198910
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : uca
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : rme
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 6
ASRS Report	125520
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : developmental
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 7000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was providing on-the-job training for an ATC radar trainee. After about 1 1/2 hours of training time on the east radar position that day, the trainee that I was monitoring was involved with separating 2 aircraft near the oneida county airport. I was becoming somewhat exasperated because the trainee seemed to be devoting an excessive amount of time resolving the problem when a simpler solution seemed to be called for the trainee's and my attention was focused on the problem at hand. As a result, I was guilty of something that I'm constantly harping at avoiding: 'tunnel vision'. Southeast of the uca airport at the same time was an small transport X inbound to uca at 4000' and also an mlt Y on the radar downwind for griffiss AFB also at 4000'. We had both neglected to scan effectively and by the time we returned our attention to these 2 aircraft they were at less than 3 mi at the same altitude. Both aircraft were turned away from each other, but less than standard separation was the result. Lessons learned: controllers providing OJT instruction to trainees not become so focused that other potential problems are overlooked.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN SMT X AND MLT Y. SYSTEM ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS PROVIDING ON-THE-JOB TRAINING FOR AN ATC RADAR TRAINEE. AFTER ABOUT 1 1/2 HRS OF TRAINING TIME ON THE E RADAR POSITION THAT DAY, THE TRAINEE THAT I WAS MONITORING WAS INVOLVED WITH SEPARATING 2 ACFT NEAR THE ONEIDA COUNTY ARPT. I WAS BECOMING SOMEWHAT EXASPERATED BECAUSE THE TRAINEE SEEMED TO BE DEVOTING AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF TIME RESOLVING THE PROBLEM WHEN A SIMPLER SOLUTION SEEMED TO BE CALLED FOR THE TRAINEE'S AND MY ATTN WAS FOCUSED ON THE PROBLEM AT HAND. AS A RESULT, I WAS GUILTY OF SOMETHING THAT I'M CONSTANTLY HARPING AT AVOIDING: 'TUNNEL VISION'. SE OF THE UCA ARPT AT THE SAME TIME WAS AN SMT X INBND TO UCA AT 4000' AND ALSO AN MLT Y ON THE RADAR DOWNWIND FOR GRIFFISS AFB ALSO AT 4000'. WE HAD BOTH NEGLECTED TO SCAN EFFECTIVELY AND BY THE TIME WE RETURNED OUR ATTN TO THESE 2 ACFT THEY WERE AT LESS THAN 3 MI AT THE SAME ALT. BOTH ACFT WERE TURNED AWAY FROM EACH OTHER, BUT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION WAS THE RESULT. LESSONS LEARNED: CTLRS PROVIDING OJT INSTRUCTION TO TRAINEES NOT BECOME SO FOCUSED THAT OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEMS ARE OVERLOOKED.

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.