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An air carrier MD80 descending with visual separation clearance from a climbing air carrier B737 lost visual contact with the B737 and responded to a TCASII RA by climbing. The B737 also responded to his TCASII RA and less than standard separation occurred.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 353603 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199611 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : fmg airport : rno |
| State Reference | NV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 10000 msl bound upper : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : rno |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | descent other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Medium Large Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : approach controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 5 |
| ASRS Report | 353603 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : clearance non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : unspecified other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Pilot Deviation |
Narrative:
MD80 northbound on J7 15 DME south of fmg level at 11000 ft. B737 executing fmg 4 departure 6 DME southeast of fmg turning northbound 8500 ft climbing to 10000 ft. MD80 pilot requests descent. I tell MD80, 'unable -- traffic 10 O'clock 5 mi climbing to 10000 ft a B737.' the MD80 says 'traffic in sight.' I advise the MD80 to maintain visual separation and descend to 9000 ft. The MD80 responds 'roger, maintain visual separation, descend to 9000 ft.' shortly thereafter the MD80 says he is executing a TCASII climb! The B737 promptly advises that he is in a TCASII descent! After separation is established I asked why this would happen when visual separation is being applied? Eventually the MD80 pilot admitted that he had lost sight of the B757. I feel the MD80 pilot should not have accepted the visual separation clearance if he didn't think he could maintain visual separation until standard separation is reestablished!
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR MD80 DSNDING WITH VISUAL SEPARATION CLRNC FROM A CLBING ACR B737 LOST VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE B737 AND RESPONDED TO A TCASII RA BY CLBING. THE B737 ALSO RESPONDED TO HIS TCASII RA AND LTSS OCCURRED.
Narrative: MD80 NBOUND ON J7 15 DME S OF FMG LEVEL AT 11000 FT. B737 EXECUTING FMG 4 DEP 6 DME SE OF FMG TURNING NBOUND 8500 FT CLBING TO 10000 FT. MD80 PLT REQUESTS DSCNT. I TELL MD80, 'UNABLE -- TFC 10 O'CLOCK 5 MI CLBING TO 10000 FT A B737.' THE MD80 SAYS 'TFC IN SIGHT.' I ADVISE THE MD80 TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION AND DSND TO 9000 FT. THE MD80 RESPONDS 'ROGER, MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION, DSND TO 9000 FT.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE MD80 SAYS HE IS EXECUTING A TCASII CLB! THE B737 PROMPTLY ADVISES THAT HE IS IN A TCASII DSCNT! AFTER SEPARATION IS ESTABLISHED I ASKED WHY THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHEN VISUAL SEPARATION IS BEING APPLIED? EVENTUALLY THE MD80 PLT ADMITTED THAT HE HAD LOST SIGHT OF THE B757. I FEEL THE MD80 PLT SHOULD NOT HAVE ACCEPTED THE VISUAL SEPARATION CLRNC IF HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION UNTIL STANDARD SEPARATION IS REESTABLISHED!
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.