Pilot deviation. - NASA ASRS

Attributes
ACN	288816
Time
Date	199411
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : lit
State Reference	AR
Altitude	msl bound lower : 2000 msl bound upper : 2000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : lit tower : hpn
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	King Air C90 E90
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4
ASRS Report	288816
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance other spatial deviation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Flight Crew Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Pilot Deviation

Narrative:

Air carrier X assigned and tracking heading 225 degrees uga Y beechcraft king air 200 assigned and tracking heading 140 degrees. The aircraft were separated by 1000 ft at their assigned altitudes. Uga Y passed 4 mi directly in front of air carrier X. I had established 'divergence' as per FAA 7110.65 paragraph 5.70. I descended uga Y to 1900 ft then issued air carrier X 'turn right heading 250 degrees, reduce speed to 180 KTS. The pilot acknowledged. 3 sweeps of the radar later, I observed that air carrier X turning left inside of the king air. I confirmed that air carrier X was turning to 250 degrees. The pilot said 'affirmative.' 2 sweeps later the air carrier X was tracking a right turn away from the king air. The pilot of air carrier X asked 'how are we doing now?' air carrier X was TCASII equipped and certainly saw the king air (which had a functioning transponder) and probably received TA and possibly an RA. If they had thought that I had issued them a 180 degree heading I cannot believe that they would not have questioned it. The pilot was exceptionally courteous throughout and after the event. My speech tone also remained normal.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: PLTDEV.

Narrative: ACR X ASSIGNED AND TRACKING HDG 225 DEGS UGA Y BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200 ASSIGNED AND TRACKING HDG 140 DEGS. THE ACFT WERE SEPARATED BY 1000 FT AT THEIR ASSIGNED ALTS. UGA Y PASSED 4 MI DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF ACR X. I HAD ESTABLISHED 'DIVERGENCE' AS PER FAA 7110.65 PARAGRAPH 5.70. I DSNDED UGA Y TO 1900 FT THEN ISSUED ACR X 'TURN R HDG 250 DEGS, REDUCE SPD TO 180 KTS. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. 3 SWEEPS OF THE RADAR LATER, I OBSERVED THAT ACR X TURNING L INSIDE OF THE KING AIR. I CONFIRMED THAT ACR X WAS TURNING TO 250 DEGS. THE PLT SAID 'AFFIRMATIVE.' 2 SWEEPS LATER THE ACR X WAS TRACKING A R TURN AWAY FROM THE KING AIR. THE PLT OF ACR X ASKED 'HOW ARE WE DOING NOW?' ACR X WAS TCASII EQUIPPED AND CERTAINLY SAW THE KING AIR (WHICH HAD A FUNCTIONING XPONDER) AND PROBABLY RECEIVED TA AND POSSIBLY AN RA. IF THEY HAD THOUGHT THAT I HAD ISSUED THEM A 180 DEG HDG I CANNOT BELIEVE THAT THEY WOULD NOT HAVE QUESTIONED IT. THE PLT WAS EXCEPTIONALLY COURTEOUS THROUGHOUT AND AFTER THE EVENT. MY SPEECH TONE ALSO REMAINED NORMAL.

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.