Narrative:

I was involved in an operational error on nov/wed/91. At the time the error occurred my attention was diverted to a lost aircraft that I was trying to vector to an airport in my airspace. Air carrier X was given a descent to 2000 and a vector of 070 degrees and told to report the airport in sight. Small transport Y was being vectored to a second practice approach, I assumed this aircraft was VFR on practice approachs, and wanted an IFR clearance to the islip airport after he finished. I had a third aircraft on approach to another airport, which took more of my attention. I was again diverted to the lost aircraft. Air carrier X advised me that he had an aircraft at his 10 O'clock position 4 mi, and I then issued a 180 degree heading. He advised that TCASII was telling him to climb, I rogered his transmission. I soon after cleared air carrier X for an ILS approach. I later was relieved and informed my supervisor of the incident. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter stated the supervisor was at the position to provide assistance with the lost aircraft. Conflict alert had activated between air carrier X and small transport Y. When the reporter turned air carrier X separation reduced to 1.6 mi and 200 ft. Air carrier X had a TCASII RA and climbed 300 ft. The reporter said he should have known small transport Y was IFR because the data tag did not have a V indicating the aircraft was VFR.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X HAD LTSS FROM SMT Y. SYS ERROR. TCASII TA RA.

Narrative: I WAS INVOLVED IN AN OPERROR ON NOV/WED/91. AT THE TIME THE ERROR OCCURRED MY ATTN WAS DIVERTED TO A LOST ACFT THAT I WAS TRYING TO VECTOR TO AN ARPT IN MY AIRSPACE. ACR X WAS GIVEN A DSCNT TO 2000 AND A VECTOR OF 070 DEGS AND TOLD TO RPT THE ARPT IN SIGHT. SMT Y WAS BEING VECTORED TO A SECOND PRACTICE APCH, I ASSUMED THIS ACFT WAS VFR ON PRACTICE APCHS, AND WANTED AN IFR CLRNC TO THE ISLIP ARPT AFTER HE FINISHED. I HAD A THIRD ACFT ON APCH TO ANOTHER ARPT, WHICH TOOK MORE OF MY ATTN. I WAS AGAIN DIVERTED TO THE LOST ACFT. ACR X ADVISED ME THAT HE HAD AN ACFT AT HIS 10 O'CLOCK POS 4 MI, AND I THEN ISSUED A 180 DEG HDG. HE ADVISED THAT TCASII WAS TELLING HIM TO CLB, I ROGERED HIS XMISSION. I SOON AFTER CLRED ACR X FOR AN ILS APCH. I LATER WAS RELIEVED AND INFORMED MY SUPVR OF THE INCIDENT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THE SUPVR WAS AT THE POS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE WITH THE LOST ACFT. CONFLICT ALERT HAD ACTIVATED BTWN ACR X AND SMT Y. WHEN THE RPTR TURNED ACR X SEPARATION REDUCED TO 1.6 MI AND 200 FT. ACR X HAD A TCASII RA AND CLBED 300 FT. THE RPTR SAID HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN SMT Y WAS IFR BECAUSE THE DATA TAG DID NOT HAVE A V INDICATING THE ACFT WAS VFR.

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.