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ARTCC controller vectored fgt aircraft for separation from climbing air carrier medium large transport. Computer detected less than standard separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 171239 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199102 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : bib |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 25000 msl bound upper : 25000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zkc |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Fighter |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 171239 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : military |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 27000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Medium large transport Y, st louis departure, climbing to FL290 eastbound on J134. Fgt X at FL250 on direct route to patterson AFB from tinker AFB. Medium large transport Y not on frequency, because low altitude sector working until separated from their traffic. I vectored fgt X to heading 360 in attempt to take aircraft 5 mi or more behind the medium large transport Y. The vector was insufficient and not timely enough to maintain lateral sep. The 'ntap' indicated 4.5 mi lateral sep. No evasive action taken. I believe the situation occurred because of judgement error on type of sep to apply. After reviewing the error, vectoring the fgt X behind traffic was not the easiest or best option in this case. When vertical sep was still an option, or a vector that placed the traffic parallel until climbing aircraft was above the en route traffic, with approved sep would have been better options.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC CTLR VECTORED FGT ACFT FOR SEPARATION FROM CLIMBING ACR MLG. COMPUTER DETECTED LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.
Narrative: MLG Y, ST LOUIS DEP, CLBING TO FL290 EBND ON J134. FGT X AT FL250 ON DIRECT RTE TO PATTERSON AFB FROM TINKER AFB. MLG Y NOT ON FREQ, BECAUSE LOW ALT SECTOR WORKING UNTIL SEPARATED FROM THEIR TFC. I VECTORED FGT X TO HDG 360 IN ATTEMPT TO TAKE ACFT 5 MI OR MORE BEHIND THE MLG Y. THE VECTOR WAS INSUFFICIENT AND NOT TIMELY ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN LATERAL SEP. THE 'NTAP' INDICATED 4.5 MI LATERAL SEP. NO EVASIVE ACTION TAKEN. I BELIEVE THE SITUATION OCCURRED BECAUSE OF JUDGEMENT ERROR ON TYPE OF SEP TO APPLY. AFTER REVIEWING THE ERROR, VECTORING THE FGT X BEHIND TFC WAS NOT THE EASIEST OR BEST OPTION IN THIS CASE. WHEN VERTICAL SEP WAS STILL AN OPTION, OR A VECTOR THAT PLACED THE TFC PARALLEL UNTIL CLBING ACFT WAS ABOVE THE ENRTE TFC, WITH APPROVED SEP WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER OPTIONS.
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.