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Air carrier Y descent through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from VFR small aircraft X in TCA. System error.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 219163 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199208 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mem |
| State Reference | TN |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 9500 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : mem |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | VFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| ASRS Report | 219163 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | oversight : coordinator |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 5999 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error Inter Facility Coordination Failure |
Narrative:
Departure controller was working a VFR small aircraft X 9500 eastbound. Dra coordinated with the coordination position which in turn advised me of small aircraft X and that small aircraft X had my air carrier Y in sight. Air carrier Y was inbound on the STAR radial. I was busy with aircraft inbound and glider aircraft southeast of mem. I looked up and descended air carrier Y from 10000 to 7000. I did not issue traffic due to the gliders which were taking my full attention. When I looked again, I immediately climbed air carrier Y to 10000. Later, I was advised that small aircraft X had air carrier Y in sight and said there was no problem. Air carrier Y advised he had small aircraft X only after descending through 9800. Small aircraft X was never issued maintain visual separation from air carrier Y from the drv position. I have since changed my way of doing things when it comes to descending aircraft. I'm now using the fist theory. I put my fist over the aircraft and if there's traffic under my fist, I issue it.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ACR Y DSCNT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM VFR SMA X IN TCA. SYS ERROR.
Narrative: DEP CTLR WAS WORKING A VFR SMA X 9500 EBOUND. DRA COORDINATED WITH THE COORD POS WHICH IN TURN ADVISED ME OF SMA X AND THAT SMA X HAD MY ACR Y IN SIGHT. ACR Y WAS INBOUND ON THE STAR RADIAL. I WAS BUSY WITH ACFT INBOUND AND GLIDER ACFT SE OF MEM. I LOOKED UP AND DSNDED ACR Y FROM 10000 TO 7000. I DID NOT ISSUE TFC DUE TO THE GLIDERS WHICH WERE TAKING MY FULL ATTN. WHEN I LOOKED AGAIN, I IMMEDIATELY CLBED ACR Y TO 10000. LATER, I WAS ADVISED THAT SMA X HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT AND SAID THERE WAS NO PROBLEM. ACR Y ADVISED HE HAD SMA X ONLY AFTER DSNDING THROUGH 9800. SMA X WAS NEVER ISSUED MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM ACR Y FROM THE DRV POS. I HAVE SINCE CHANGED MY WAY OF DOING THINGS WHEN IT COMES TO DSNDING ACFT. I'M NOW USING THE FIST THEORY. I PUT MY FIST OVER THE ACFT AND IF THERE'S TFC UNDER MY FIST, I ISSUE IT.
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.