Operational error occurred when reporter vectored PA31 in close proximity to C5 in coordinated airspace block. Reporter's data person had requested and received approval for the block from dov approach which involved the C5 pointout. The reporter was unaware of the C5 and conditional approval of the area based on the traffic pointout.

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Attributes
ACN	362301
Time
Date	199703
Day	Wed
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : vcn airport : miv
State Reference	NJ
Altitude	msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : acy tracon : dov
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	PA-31 Navajo Chieftan/Mojave/Navajo T1020
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	other
Make Model Name	Galaxy (C5A)
Operating Under FAR Part	other : other
Flight Phase	cruise other descent : approach
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 7 controller supervisory : 7 flight time total : 106
ASRS Report	362301
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 9000 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was vectoring the PA31 for an ILS runway 10 at miv airport. This requires coordination with an adjacent facility, dover RAPCON. The OM for the ILS runway 10 lies on our common airspace boundary and vectors for the approach requires the aircraft to utilize approximately 5-7 mi of dover's airspace. The normal procedure is to request the 'ILS block for miv' descending to 3000 ft. This block is depicted on both facility's video maps. The sector was busy with traffic so I requested the data person to get the block and he replied that 'we have it.' the PA31 was vectored to intercept the localizer 6 mi from ladie OM. At that point, I observed a target at 3000 ft and 1.5 NM west of the PA31, and within the block. When I asked dov who the aircraft was, he stated a C5 on approach to dov. When I asked if I had the block, he said affirmative. After discussion with my data person, he stated that he had received a pointout from dov and not the block. Although a breakdown in communications did occur, a loss of separation should not have occurred if dover RAPCON had paid attention to the pointout they approved.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: OPERROR OCCURRED WHEN RPTR VECTORED PA31 IN CLOSE PROX TO C5 IN COORDINATED AIRSPACE BLOCK. RPTR'S DATA PERSON HAD REQUESTED AND RECEIVED APPROVAL FOR THE BLOCK FROM DOV APCH WHICH INVOLVED THE C5 POINTOUT. THE RPTR WAS UNAWARE OF THE C5 AND CONDITIONAL APPROVAL OF THE AREA BASED ON THE TFC POINTOUT.

Narrative: I WAS VECTORING THE PA31 FOR AN ILS RWY 10 AT MIV ARPT. THIS REQUIRES COORD WITH AN ADJACENT FACILITY, DOVER RAPCON. THE OM FOR THE ILS RWY 10 LIES ON OUR COMMON AIRSPACE BOUNDARY AND VECTORS FOR THE APCH REQUIRES THE ACFT TO UTILIZE APPROX 5-7 MI OF DOVER'S AIRSPACE. THE NORMAL PROC IS TO REQUEST THE 'ILS BLOCK FOR MIV' DSNDING TO 3000 FT. THIS BLOCK IS DEPICTED ON BOTH FACILITY'S VIDEO MAPS. THE SECTOR WAS BUSY WITH TFC SO I REQUESTED THE DATA PERSON TO GET THE BLOCK AND HE REPLIED THAT 'WE HAVE IT.' THE PA31 WAS VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE LOC 6 MI FROM LADIE OM. AT THAT POINT, I OBSERVED A TARGET AT 3000 FT AND 1.5 NM W OF THE PA31, AND WITHIN THE BLOCK. WHEN I ASKED DOV WHO THE ACFT WAS, HE STATED A C5 ON APCH TO DOV. WHEN I ASKED IF I HAD THE BLOCK, HE SAID AFFIRMATIVE. AFTER DISCUSSION WITH MY DATA PERSON, HE STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A POINTOUT FROM DOV AND NOT THE BLOCK. ALTHOUGH A BREAKDOWN IN COMS DID OCCUR, A LOSS OF SEPARATION SHOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF DOVER RAPCON HAD PAID ATTN TO THE POINTOUT THEY APPROVED.

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.