Approach controller sees aircraft descending in adjacent approach control airspace, turns second aircraft (mlt) in adjacent approach control airspace without coordination. Less than standard separation may have occurred.

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Attributes
ACN	188696
Time
Date	199109
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : brv
State Reference	VA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4000 msl bound upper : 4400
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : ric tracon : dca
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Military Transport
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct enroute airway : dca
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, High Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 9
ASRS Report	188696
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 400
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error Operational Deviation

Narrative:

Small aircraft Y was at 5000 ft, 8-10 NM southwest of the brv VOR, proceeding direct brv, and handed off to dca approach, in dca approach airspace. Mlt X was at 4000 ft, also direct brv, (this aircraft was on converging course with small aircraft Y) in dca approach airspace. Handoff had been accepted by dca approach. As I was about to switch mlt X to dca, I observed the altitude of small aircraft Y to be 4600 ft. I called dca approach to ask what they were doing with small aircraft Y reference to mlt X. Response from dca was not timely. I saw the 2 aircraft converging with small aircraft Y continuing to descend, and to prevent further decrease in separation, I turned mlt X to an eastbound heading. Why the dca controller descended small aircraft Y through mlt X altitude, I do not know. But regardless of whose airspace mlt X was in, I felt a moral obligation to turn mlt X for safety, since the 2 aircraft were still converging. Small aircraft Y was not observed turning away from mlt X until the situation was brought to dca approach's attention by me.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: APCH CTLR SEES ACFT DSNDING IN ADJACENT APCH CTL AIRSPACE, TURNS SECOND ACFT (MLT) IN ADJACENT APCH CTL AIRSPACE WITHOUT COORD. LTSS MAY HAVE OCCURRED.

Narrative: SMA Y WAS AT 5000 FT, 8-10 NM SW OF THE BRV VOR, PROCEEDING DIRECT BRV, AND HANDED OFF TO DCA APCH, IN DCA APCH AIRSPACE. MLT X WAS AT 4000 FT, ALSO DIRECT BRV, (THIS ACFT WAS ON CONVERGING COURSE WITH SMA Y) IN DCA APCH AIRSPACE. HDOF HAD BEEN ACCEPTED BY DCA APCH. AS I WAS ABOUT TO SWITCH MLT X TO DCA, I OBSERVED THE ALT OF SMA Y TO BE 4600 FT. I CALLED DCA APCH TO ASK WHAT THEY WERE DOING WITH SMA Y REF TO MLT X. RESPONSE FROM DCA WAS NOT TIMELY. I SAW THE 2 ACFT CONVERGING WITH SMA Y CONTINUING TO DSND, AND TO PREVENT FURTHER DECREASE IN SEPARATION, I TURNED MLT X TO AN EBOUND HDG. WHY THE DCA CTLR DSNDED SMA Y THROUGH MLT X ALT, I DO NOT KNOW. BUT REGARDLESS OF WHOSE AIRSPACE MLT X WAS IN, I FELT A MORAL OBLIGATION TO TURN MLT X FOR SAFETY, SINCE THE 2 ACFT WERE STILL CONVERGING. SMA Y WAS NOT OBSERVED TURNING AWAY FROM MLT X UNTIL THE SITUATION WAS BROUGHT TO DCA APCH'S ATTN BY ME.

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.