Small aircraft X climb through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from small aircra...

Attributes
ACN	253810
Time
Date	199310
Day	Sun
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : avl
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl bound lower : 8000 msl bound upper : 8000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : direct enroute airway : avl
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 22 controller supervisory : 2
ASRS Report	253810
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : less severe conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working TRACON data, assisting the approach controller during a busy session. I was generally keeping up with the traffic flow, posting flight progress strips, assisting with coordination. The controller had several separation sits and arrival sequences he was working out when he realized that a departure from avl, small aircraft X, swbound, climbing through 8000 ft for 10000 ft, was within a mi of a nwbound overflt at 8000 ft, small aircraft Y. He issued traffic and one aircraft saw the other. I believe the main factor contributing to the event was the workload on the controller at that particular time. Too many sits to watch at one time. A contributing factor was that the overflt small aircraft Y aircraft's mode C altitude was not reading out on our ARTS iia scope at the time. Since we have acquired the automated radar at avl, we have become very dependent on it, not applying information on the flight progress strips to a target, or failing to keep up with a primary target.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SMA X CLB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT HAD LTSS FROM SMA Y. SYS ERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING TRACON DATA, ASSISTING THE APCH CTLR DURING A BUSY SESSION. I WAS GENERALLY KEEPING UP WITH THE TFC FLOW, POSTING FLT PROGRESS STRIPS, ASSISTING WITH COORD. THE CTLR HAD SEVERAL SEPARATION SITS AND ARR SEQUENCES HE WAS WORKING OUT WHEN HE REALIZED THAT A DEP FROM AVL, SMA X, SWBOUND, CLBING THROUGH 8000 FT FOR 10000 FT, WAS WITHIN A MI OF A NWBOUND OVERFLT AT 8000 FT, SMA Y. HE ISSUED TFC AND ONE ACFT SAW THE OTHER. I BELIEVE THE MAIN FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE EVENT WAS THE WORKLOAD ON THE CTLR AT THAT PARTICULAR TIME. TOO MANY SITS TO WATCH AT ONE TIME. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THAT THE OVERFLT SMA Y ACFT'S MODE C ALT WAS NOT READING OUT ON OUR ARTS IIA SCOPE AT THE TIME. SINCE WE HAVE ACQUIRED THE AUTOMATED RADAR AT AVL, WE HAVE BECOME VERY DEPENDENT ON IT, NOT APPLYING INFO ON THE FLT PROGRESS STRIPS TO A TARGET, OR FAILING TO KEEP UP WITH A PRIMARY TARGET.

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.

Small aircraft X climb through occupied altitude had less than standard separation from small aircraft Y. System error.