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Departure controller forgets to climb air carrier aircraft and descends an arriving air carrier through altitude resulting in less than standard separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 316876 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199509 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mmj airport : pit |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 5000 msl bound upper : 5150 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : pit |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 180 flight time total : 10000 flight time type : 3400 |
| ASRS Report | 316876 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp pilot : flight engineer |
| Experience | flight time total : 12149 flight time type : 1140 |
| ASRS Report | 317037 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
We departed pit climbing to 5000 ft. Departure controller gave us a heading of 290 degrees to intercept the mmj 274 degree radial. We intercepted maintaining 5000 ft. We were about to ask for a higher altitude when we saw a TCASII target at 9 mi 1 O'clock at 6000 ft coming towards us. We heard ATC issue a descent to 5000 ft to someone and the traffic in question began a descent. We were about to question ATC when they called and in a quizzical voice asked us to start our climb and expedite to 14000 ft. (The usual altitude departure gives you soon after contacting them.) at this point the traffic was about 4 mi 500 ft above us. We told them we hadn't received a clearance to 14000 ft but we would begin an expedited climb, when we got a TCASII RA to 'climb' at the same time the controller told the traffic to 'stop your descent,' and for us to 'maintain 5000 ft.' the TCASII changed to 'monitor vertical speed.' we had only climbed 150 ft, so we returned to 5000 ft. The other aircraft reported us in sight and crossed to our right and about 500 ft above us. The controller had apparently 'forgotten' to give us climb instructions to 'the usual' 14000 ft. We had flown for probably 5 mins (?) estimate without him noticing we weren't climbing. The TCASII was a definite help as we watched the traffic approaching, however things got very complicated fast when ATC issued instructions (while in close proximity) opposite to the TCASII resolution.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DEP CTLR FORGETS TO CLB ACR ACFT AND DSNDS AN ARRIVING ACR THROUGH ALT RESULTING IN LTSS.
Narrative: WE DEPARTED PIT CLBING TO 5000 FT. DEP CTLR GAVE US A HDG OF 290 DEGS TO INTERCEPT THE MMJ 274 DEG RADIAL. WE INTERCEPTED MAINTAINING 5000 FT. WE WERE ABOUT TO ASK FOR A HIGHER ALTITUDE WHEN WE SAW A TCASII TARGET AT 9 MI 1 O'CLOCK AT 6000 FT COMING TOWARDS US. WE HEARD ATC ISSUE A DSCNT TO 5000 FT TO SOMEONE AND THE TFC IN QUESTION BEGAN A DSCNT. WE WERE ABOUT TO QUESTION ATC WHEN THEY CALLED AND IN A QUIZZICAL VOICE ASKED US TO START OUR CLB AND EXPEDITE TO 14000 FT. (THE USUAL ALTITUDE DEP GIVES YOU SOON AFTER CONTACTING THEM.) AT THIS POINT THE TFC WAS ABOUT 4 MI 500 FT ABOVE US. WE TOLD THEM WE HADN'T RECEIVED A CLRNC TO 14000 FT BUT WE WOULD BEGIN AN EXPEDITED CLB, WHEN WE GOT A TCASII RA TO 'CLB' AT THE SAME TIME THE CTLR TOLD THE TFC TO 'STOP YOUR DSCNT,' AND FOR US TO 'MAINTAIN 5000 FT.' THE TCASII CHANGED TO 'MONITOR VERT SPD.' WE HAD ONLY CLBED 150 FT, SO WE RETURNED TO 5000 FT. THE OTHER ACFT RPTED US IN SIGHT AND CROSSED TO OUR R AND ABOUT 500 FT ABOVE US. THE CTLR HAD APPARENTLY 'FORGOTTEN' TO GIVE US CLB INSTRUCTIONS TO 'THE USUAL' 14000 FT. WE HAD FLOWN FOR PROBABLY 5 MINS (?) ESTIMATE WITHOUT HIM NOTICING WE WEREN'T CLBING. THE TCASII WAS A DEFINITE HELP AS WE WATCHED THE TFC APCHING, HOWEVER THINGS GOT VERY COMPLICATED FAST WHEN ATC ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS (WHILE IN CLOSE PROX) OPPOSITE TO THE TCASII RESOLUTION.
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.