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ARTCC controller had less than standard separation between two air carrier lgts opposite direction on awy over the gulf of mexico.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 169558 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199101 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : gls |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic enroute airway : zhu |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : other oceanic |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 5 controller non radar : 4 controller radar : 3 |
| ASRS Report | 169558 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | vertical : 1500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Large transport X nwbnd on A766 inbound to iah at FL310 from mggt. Large transport Y sebnd on A766 departing iah to mmun climbing to FL330. Large transport Y was in radar contact in a slow climb to FL330 estimating barow intersection at xb:11Z. Large transport X called ZHU progressing nuley at xa:54, 3 mins early than center estimate. Large transport X have an estimate for barow intersection at xb:19Z which the center estimate was xb:20Z/ large transport Y was climbing very slow. As the controller I should have told large transport Y level at FL330 15 northwest of barow. I lost radar 5 northwest of barow, large transport Y was at FL327. I immediately asked large transport Y to verify level at FL330. Large transport Y reported level at FL330. I then issued large transport Y communication change instructions for contacting merida center (this must be accomplished within 30 mi southeast of barow due to lack of communication problems in the houston center oceanic area). It was then I noticed large transport X within radar coverage 10 northwest of barow. I asked the pilot if he still estimated barow at 19 mins past the hour. He then said he had passed barow at xb:10, (9 mins early). Large transport X gave an erroneous estimate and also failed to report a compulsory reporting point (barow).
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC CTLR HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN TWO ACR LGTS OPPOSITE DIRECTION ON AWY OVER THE GULF OF MEXICO.
Narrative: LGT X NWBND ON A766 INBND TO IAH AT FL310 FROM MGGT. LGT Y SEBND ON A766 DEPARTING IAH TO MMUN CLBING TO FL330. LGT Y WAS IN RADAR CONTACT IN A SLOW CLB TO FL330 ESTIMATING BAROW INTXN AT XB:11Z. LGT X CALLED ZHU PROGRESSING NULEY AT XA:54, 3 MINS EARLY THAN CTR ESTIMATE. LGT X HAVE AN ESTIMATE FOR BAROW INTXN AT XB:19Z WHICH THE CTR ESTIMATE WAS XB:20Z/ LGT Y WAS CLBING VERY SLOW. AS THE CTLR I SHOULD HAVE TOLD LGT Y LEVEL AT FL330 15 NW OF BAROW. I LOST RADAR 5 NW OF BAROW, LGT Y WAS AT FL327. I IMMEDIATELY ASKED LGT Y TO VERIFY LEVEL AT FL330. LGT Y RPTED LEVEL AT FL330. I THEN ISSUED LGT Y COM CHANGE INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTACTING MERIDA CTR (THIS MUST BE ACCOMPLISHED WITHIN 30 MI SE OF BAROW DUE TO LACK OF COM PROBS IN THE HOUSTON CTR OCEANIC AREA). IT WAS THEN I NOTICED LGT X WITHIN RADAR COVERAGE 10 NW OF BAROW. I ASKED THE PLT IF HE STILL ESTIMATED BAROW AT 19 MINS PAST THE HR. HE THEN SAID HE HAD PASSED BAROW AT XB:10, (9 MINS EARLY). LGT X GAVE AN ERRONEOUS ESTIMATE AND ALSO FAILED TO RPT A COMPULSORY RPTING POINT (BAROW).
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 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.