ARTCC data controller sees 2 aircraft on converging descending courses and advises the radar control...

Attributes
ACN	338962
Time
Date	199606
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : tvt
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 31000
Environment
Flight Conditions	Mixed
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zid tracon : ggg
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Commercial Fixed Wing
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 5
ASRS Report	338962
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 6000 vertical : 1000
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working the d-side position at the appleton radar sector. The radar controller was moderately busy. When the r- controller was asked if he wanted a break, he told the relieving controller to plug in and track until the briefing was completed. At that time, I answered a call from ZOB. After I moved my chair to make room for the tracker, I noticed conflict alert flashing with air carrier X and air carrier Y. Since I didn't hear the descent clearance to air carrier X, I asked the r-ctlr if air carrier X was really descending to FL310. The r-ctlr said that he didn't understand what I was trying to tell him. I pointed to the 2 data blocks (still flashing) and said that they were both going to FL310. No real response by r-ctlr to mine and the tracker's prompt. A few seconds later, air carrier Y said he showed traffic and asked the controller if there was traffic just off the left side. No response. The air carrier X then asked about the traffic and said he had air carrier Y in sight. The r-ctlr responded with 'air carrier X say assigned altitude.' air carrier X said out of FL320 for FL310. R-ctlr responded 'roger.' afterward, air carrier Y was given descent. Air carrier X had stopped descent on his own. I am concerned about possible discipline to the controller (and possible dragnet -- me) for lack of action in this situation. Having a deal is one thing, but letting 2 airplanes sideswipe at 1 mi is completely different. Even when the pilots were concerned, no intelligent responses were given. No turns or attempt at vertical separation was made. 2 mins after the deal, air carrier Y asked about the situation. The r-ctlr responded that he was too busy to 'call the traffic.' I was about to take the frequency and tell air carrier X to stop descent when he called traffic in sight. I didn't want to issue confusing instructions once he had air carrier Y in sight. Both aircraft were TCASII equipped but no one said anything about an RA.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC DATA CTLR SEES 2 ACFT ON CONVERGING DSNDING COURSES AND ADVISES THE RADAR CTLR. THE RADAR CTLR DID NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THE DATA CTLR WAS SAYING, AND DID NOT TAKE ACTION TO SEPARATE THE ACFT.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE D-SIDE POS AT THE APPLETON RADAR SECTOR. THE RADAR CTLR WAS MODERATELY BUSY. WHEN THE R- CTLR WAS ASKED IF HE WANTED A BREAK, HE TOLD THE RELIEVING CTLR TO PLUG IN AND TRACK UNTIL THE BRIEFING WAS COMPLETED. AT THAT TIME, I ANSWERED A CALL FROM ZOB. AFTER I MOVED MY CHAIR TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE TRACKER, I NOTICED CONFLICT ALERT FLASHING WITH ACR X AND ACR Y. SINCE I DIDN'T HEAR THE DSCNT CLRNC TO ACR X, I ASKED THE R-CTLR IF ACR X WAS REALLY DSNDING TO FL310. THE R-CTLR SAID THAT HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO TELL HIM. I POINTED TO THE 2 DATA BLOCKS (STILL FLASHING) AND SAID THAT THEY WERE BOTH GOING TO FL310. NO REAL RESPONSE BY R-CTLR TO MINE AND THE TRACKER'S PROMPT. A FEW SECONDS LATER, ACR Y SAID HE SHOWED TFC AND ASKED THE CTLR IF THERE WAS TFC JUST OFF THE L SIDE. NO RESPONSE. THE ACR X THEN ASKED ABOUT THE TFC AND SAID HE HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT. THE R-CTLR RESPONDED WITH 'ACR X SAY ASSIGNED ALT.' ACR X SAID OUT OF FL320 FOR FL310. R-CTLR RESPONDED 'ROGER.' AFTERWARD, ACR Y WAS GIVEN DSCNT. ACR X HAD STOPPED DSCNT ON HIS OWN. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT POSSIBLE DISCIPLINE TO THE CTLR (AND POSSIBLE DRAGNET -- ME) FOR LACK OF ACTION IN THIS SIT. HAVING A DEAL IS ONE THING, BUT LETTING 2 AIRPLANES SIDESWIPE AT 1 MI IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. EVEN WHEN THE PLTS WERE CONCERNED, NO INTELLIGENT RESPONSES WERE GIVEN. NO TURNS OR ATTEMPT AT VERT SEPARATION WAS MADE. 2 MINS AFTER THE DEAL, ACR Y ASKED ABOUT THE SIT. THE R-CTLR RESPONDED THAT HE WAS TOO BUSY TO 'CALL THE TFC.' I WAS ABOUT TO TAKE THE FREQ AND TELL ACR X TO STOP DSCNT WHEN HE CALLED TFC IN SIGHT. I DIDN'T WANT TO ISSUE CONFUSING INSTRUCTIONS ONCE HE HAD ACR Y IN SIGHT. BOTH ACFT WERE TCASII EQUIPPED BUT NO ONE SAID ANYTHING ABOUT AN RA.

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.

ARTCC data controller sees 2 aircraft on converging descending courses and advises the radar controller. The radar controller did not understand what the data controller was saying, and did not take action to separate the aircraft.