<< >> NASA ASRS Report 176601, April 1991

Departure controller climbed aircraft to same altitude as opposite direction overflt. Potential conflict less than standard separation.

Attributes
ACN	176601
Time
Date	199104
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mgm
State Reference	AL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 6000 msl bound upper : 6000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : mgm
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute airway : mgm
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : departure
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 4 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	176601
Person 2
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working north departure radar. The above mentioned small aircraft X was overflying my airspace at 6000'. I had an small aircraft Y departing mgm going opp direction to the overflt. The departure was requesting 6000'. For some reason I did not catch the aircraft could be in conflict and I climbed the departure to 6000'. The traffic was moderate. During my scan I noticed both aircraft were in conflict. They were approximately 4 1/2 mi apart at this time. I took evasive action by turning the overflt heading 270 and the departure heading 090 degree. Both aircraft did it immediately and did not report seeing each other. I think I kept the required sep of 3 mi, but would not know for sure unless a darc was pulled. Both aircraft were back on course within 2 mins of me turning them. I really can't explain why I didn't catch this right off the bat but I did feel I was not concentrating like I normally do. There was no complaints by the pilots as of this writing but I felt I better write in.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP CTLR CLIMBED ACFT TO SAME ALT AS OPPOSITE DIRECTION OVERFLT. POTENTIAL CONFLICT LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING N DEP RADAR. THE ABOVE MENTIONED SMA X WAS OVERFLYING MY AIRSPACE AT 6000'. I HAD AN SMA Y DEPARTING MGM GOING OPP DIRECTION TO THE OVERFLT. THE DEP WAS REQUESTING 6000'. FOR SOME REASON I DID NOT CATCH THE ACFT COULD BE IN CONFLICT AND I CLBED THE DEP TO 6000'. THE TFC WAS MODERATE. DURING MY SCAN I NOTICED BOTH ACFT WERE IN CONFLICT. THEY WERE APPROX 4 1/2 MI APART AT THIS TIME. I TOOK EVASIVE ACTION BY TURNING THE OVERFLT HDG 270 AND THE DEP HDG 090 DEG. BOTH ACFT DID IT IMMEDIATELY AND DID NOT RPT SEEING EACH OTHER. I THINK I KEPT THE REQUIRED SEP OF 3 MI, BUT WOULD NOT KNOW FOR SURE UNLESS A DARC WAS PULLED. BOTH ACFT WERE BACK ON COURSE WITHIN 2 MINS OF ME TURNING THEM. I REALLY CAN'T EXPLAIN WHY I DIDN'T CATCH THIS RIGHT OFF THE BAT BUT I DID FEEL I WAS NOT CONCENTRATING LIKE I NORMALLY DO. THERE WAS NO COMPLAINTS BY THE PLTS AS OF THIS WRITING BUT I FELT I BETTER WRITE IN.

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.