Operational error -- less than standard separation between air carrier a and air carrier B.

Attributes
ACN	280290
Time
Date	199408
Day	Mon
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : msp
State Reference	MN
Altitude	msl bound lower : 12000 msl bound upper : 12000
Environment
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zmp
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Merlin III
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors enroute : direct
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B727 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 3
ASRS Report	280790
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	other other : unspecified atc
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : unable other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12100 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working on arrival sector into msp. I was working the radar position, with an fpl working the associate position. We were notified an aircraft was inbound direct msp with a heart attack emergency. We were in a metering hold, with departures coming out of approach airspace east of the arrival route (the bunkr 7 arrival). Due to the emergency, approach was coordinating headings of 200-210 degrees, rather than the LOA heading of 240 degrees. Air carrier a checked on frequency climbing to 9000 ft, a swe turboprop on a 215 degree heading for the emergency inbound and departing jet traffic. Once clear of the departure, I climbed air carrier a to 16000 ft, heading 225 degrees sux, direct when able. Shortly thereafter, air carrier B (B727) checked on frequency out of 9800 ft, climbing to 17000 ft heading 200 degrees. Air carrier B departed approach airspace west of air carrier a. I then was busy clearing the holding pattern and working aircraft into smaller airport around the sector. The associate controller pointed out that air carrier B was rapidly overtaking air carrier a. I stopped air carrier a at 12000 ft, told air carrier B to expedite through 13000 ft, and issued a left turn to a 160 degree heading. I again asked air carrier B to expedite. He advised climbing at 1500 FPM, with difficulty. I asked air carrier B to report leaving 13000 ft. When he did, the lateral separation was 3.5 NM. Factors were: very low climb rate for air carrier B. Emergency and holding in sector, and air carrier a appeared to be tracking closer to 240 degrees than 225 degrees. Upon questioning, air carrier a advised he was on a 225 degree heading.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR -- LTSS BTWN ACR A AND ACR B.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING ON ARR SECTOR INTO MSP. I WAS WORKING THE RADAR POS, WITH AN FPL WORKING THE ASSOCIATE POS. WE WERE NOTIFIED AN ACFT WAS INBOUND DIRECT MSP WITH A HEART ATTACK EMER. WE WERE IN A METERING HOLD, WITH DEPS COMING OUT OF APCH AIRSPACE E OF THE ARR RTE (THE BUNKR 7 ARR). DUE TO THE EMER, APCH WAS COORDINATING HDGS OF 200-210 DEGS, RATHER THAN THE LOA HDG OF 240 DEGS. ACR A CHKED ON FREQ CLBING TO 9000 FT, A SWE TURBOPROP ON A 215 DEG HDG FOR THE EMER INBOUND AND DEPARTING JET TFC. ONCE CLR OF THE DEP, I CLBED ACR A TO 16000 FT, HDG 225 DEGS SUX, DIRECT WHEN ABLE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, ACR B (B727) CHKED ON FREQ OUT OF 9800 FT, CLBING TO 17000 FT HDG 200 DEGS. ACR B DEPARTED APCH AIRSPACE W OF ACR A. I THEN WAS BUSY CLRING THE HOLDING PATTERN AND WORKING ACFT INTO SMALLER ARPT AROUND THE SECTOR. THE ASSOCIATE CTLR POINTED OUT THAT ACR B WAS RAPIDLY OVERTAKING ACR A. I STOPPED ACR A AT 12000 FT, TOLD ACR B TO EXPEDITE THROUGH 13000 FT, AND ISSUED A L TURN TO A 160 DEG HDG. I AGAIN ASKED ACR B TO EXPEDITE. HE ADVISED CLBING AT 1500 FPM, WITH DIFFICULTY. I ASKED ACR B TO RPT LEAVING 13000 FT. WHEN HE DID, THE LATERAL SEPARATION WAS 3.5 NM. FACTORS WERE: VERY LOW CLB RATE FOR ACR B. EMER AND HOLDING IN SECTOR, AND ACR A APPEARED TO BE TRACKING CLOSER TO 240 DEGS THAN 225 DEGS. UPON QUESTIONING, ACR A ADVISED HE WAS ON A 225 DEG HDG.

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.