Operational error occurred when center controller used visual separation between 2 opposite direction aircraft while having only one on the frequency and the other on approach control's frequency. No interfacility coordination prior to the clearance.

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Attributes
ACN	362153
Time
Date	199702
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vtu
State Reference	CA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zla tracon : lax
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	cruise other
Route In Use	arrival star : star
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	Brasilia EMB-120 All Series
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	departure other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar other other : other
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 13
ASRS Report	362153
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 200
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft #1 was heading east at 11000 ft, near vtu, on the STAR into lax. The aircraft was handed off to approach control, on the approach control frequency, but still outside of approach control's airspace. Aircraft #2 was a departure off of lax, wbound near vtu. Aircraft #2 had been handed off to the center (ZLA sector 14) and switched to the center controller's frequency. Aircraft #2 was outside of approach control airspace at 10000 ft MSL. Aircraft #2 was observed by the approach controller climbing out of 10000 ft, head-on, into aircraft #1. Traffic was issued by the approach controller to aircraft #1. Aircraft #1 reported aircraft #2, 'in-sight.' aircraft #2 passed within 1/2 mi laterally and 200 ft vertically of aircraft #1, opposite direction. Conflict alert was activated. As the 2 aircraft were passing each other, a voice came over the loudspeaker from ZLA stating, 'got you in sight there, approach.' the sct la area supervisor was immediately notified.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR OCCURRED WHEN CTR CTLR USED VISUAL SEPARATION BTWN 2 OPPOSITE DIRECTION ACFT WHILE HAVING ONLY ONE ON THE FREQ AND THE OTHER ON APCH CTL'S FREQ. NO INTERFAC COORD PRIOR TO THE CLRNC.

Narrative: ACFT #1 WAS HEADING E AT 11000 FT, NEAR VTU, ON THE STAR INTO LAX. THE ACFT WAS HANDED OFF TO APCH CTL, ON THE APCH CTL FREQ, BUT STILL OUTSIDE OF APCH CTL'S AIRSPACE. ACFT #2 WAS A DEP OFF OF LAX, WBOUND NEAR VTU. ACFT #2 HAD BEEN HANDED OFF TO THE CTR (ZLA SECTOR 14) AND SWITCHED TO THE CTR CTLR'S FREQ. ACFT #2 WAS OUTSIDE OF APCH CTL AIRSPACE AT 10000 FT MSL. ACFT #2 WAS OBSERVED BY THE APCH CTLR CLBING OUT OF 10000 FT, HEAD-ON, INTO ACFT #1. TFC WAS ISSUED BY THE APCH CTLR TO ACFT #1. ACFT #1 RPTED ACFT #2, 'IN-SIGHT.' ACFT #2 PASSED WITHIN 1/2 MI LATERALLY AND 200 FT VERTLY OF ACFT #1, OPPOSITE DIRECTION. CONFLICT ALERT WAS ACTIVATED. AS THE 2 ACFT WERE PASSING EACH OTHER, A VOICE CAME OVER THE LOUDSPEAKER FROM ZLA STATING, 'GOT YOU IN SIGHT THERE, APCH.' THE SCT LA AREA SUPVR WAS IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED.

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.