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ARTCC radar controller descending aircraft in a holding pattern, descended large transport through altitude of medium large transport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 194962 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199111 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : ard |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 15000 msl bound upper : 15500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Marginal |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other other |
| Route In Use | enroute airway : zdc |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 194962 |
| 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 | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 27000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
The previous radar controller had been holding for lga. 3 aircraft were holding at stefe intersection. 2 were holding at ard. I relieved this r-side. The efc's were almost up and the previous r-side wasn't sure how much longer we were going to be holding. I called the TRACON and coordinated with them. Altitudes at stefe were 14000, 15000, and 16000. I descended aircraft at 14000 to 13000 and moved him to ard. I was laddering down the aircraft at 15000 and 16000 to 14000 and 15000 respectively. I descended large transport X at 16000 to 14000 instead of the medium large transport Y at 15000 to 14000. I believe, but am not sure, that I had looked at the situation, e.g., traffic scanned, was momentarily distracted, then went back and made the mistake. I believe, but am not sure, that the data blocks were FLIP-flopped, which may have confused me.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR DSNDING ACFT IN A HOLDING PATTERN, DSNDED LGT THROUGH ALT OF MLG.
Narrative: THE PREVIOUS RADAR CTLR HAD BEEN HOLDING FOR LGA. 3 ACFT WERE HOLDING AT STEFE INTXN. 2 WERE HOLDING AT ARD. I RELIEVED THIS R-SIDE. THE EFC'S WERE ALMOST UP AND THE PREVIOUS R-SIDE WASN'T SURE HOW MUCH LONGER WE WERE GOING TO BE HOLDING. I CALLED THE TRACON AND COORDINATED WITH THEM. ALTS AT STEFE WERE 14000, 15000, AND 16000. I DSNDED ACFT AT 14000 TO 13000 AND MOVED HIM TO ARD. I WAS LADDERING DOWN THE ACFT AT 15000 AND 16000 TO 14000 AND 15000 RESPECTIVELY. I DSNDED LGT X AT 16000 TO 14000 INSTEAD OF THE MLG Y AT 15000 TO 14000. I BELIEVE, BUT AM NOT SURE, THAT I HAD LOOKED AT THE SITUATION, E.G., TFC SCANNED, WAS MOMENTARILY DISTRACTED, THEN WENT BACK AND MADE THE MISTAKE. I BELIEVE, BUT AM NOT SURE, THAT THE DATA BLOCKS WERE FLIP-FLOPPED, WHICH MAY HAVE CONFUSED 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.