Narrative:

Center was using darc/host due to NAS unreliable and not certified for use. During the inbound push to cvg, I was working yrk radar position. I was talking to approximately 14 aircraft when a C560R departed luk to cmh, requesting FL210. Buckeye MOA was in use FL450 up to FL500. Due to other departing aircraft off cvg flying the same SID, I had to step cpr X up to FL190 for a final. I assigned a 060 degree heading for radar vectors around buckeye MOA and also vectors for final approach at cmh. Cpr X was clearing the MOA, the sector adjacent to me, pkb-low, made pointout to me on a BE90R, clearing the MOA and turning to asw at 16000 ft. I observed 5 1/2 - 6 mi between cpr X and nga Y so I issued cpr X pilot's discretion from FL190 to 11000 ft. (Since we were operational darc/host, conflict alert nor dodecagon were not available to me, so I observed 5 mi visually between the 2 aircraft.) cpr X was nearing the pkb sector, so I made a pointout to pkb with reference to nga Y. (This is when I observed 5 1/2 - 6 mi between the aircraft.) after pkb approved the pointout the controller told me that as I was busy, he would work cpr X into cmh. Just to ensure the separation, I turned cpr X 15 degrees right to 075 degree heading and switched him to pkb. This additional 15 degree turn now gave approximately 6 - 6 1/2 mi separation between cpr X and nga Y, so I told cpr X to start his descent now from FL190 to 11000 ft. The 6 - 6 1/2 mi separation was increasing at this point. Approximately 5 mins later, my supervisor advised me that I was decertified due to operational error occurring between cpr X and nga Y with 4 mi and 700 ft. Even though I was using darc as an operational system and I observed 5 1/2 mi and increasing I was still decertified due to data in NAS. I feel that an error did not occur because the system I was using portrayed 5 1/2 mi increasing, and if NAS was not certified to use then the data received in NAS cannot be used to judge separation. However, I still have been charged with the error. In my opinion, if what I am using as an operational system that shows 5 mi or more and a different system shows up to 3-4 mi different than what is on my scope, and I am held accountable for a system that is not certified for me to use, this puts a very real danger to the flying public because aircraft could indeed be much closer and even dangerously close to each other and my radar will not show the true distance. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter indicated that the buss line problem that required them to use the darc system for 3 days has been fixed and that the system is back in service with only occasional use of the darc. Reporter stated the operational error is still on file but that the reporter has not been charged with it as there was a discrepancy between the darc and NAS system.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: RPTR USING THE DARC RADAR SYS DSNDS A CPR C560 THROUGH THE ALT OF A PVT BE90 AT 16000 FT WHEN THE REQUIRED LATERAL SEPARATION IS MET. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE SUPVR DECERTIFIES THE CTLR DUE TO AN OPERROR FROM DATA IN THE NAS SYS CLAIMING 4 MI AND 700 FT SEPARATION BTWN THE 2 ACFT.

Narrative: CTR WAS USING DARC/HOST DUE TO NAS UNRELIABLE AND NOT CERTIFIED FOR USE. DURING THE INBOUND PUSH TO CVG, I WAS WORKING YRK RADAR POS. I WAS TALKING TO APPROX 14 ACFT WHEN A C560R DEPARTED LUK TO CMH, REQUESTING FL210. BUCKEYE MOA WAS IN USE FL450 UP TO FL500. DUE TO OTHER DEPARTING ACFT OFF CVG FLYING THE SAME SID, I HAD TO STEP CPR X UP TO FL190 FOR A FINAL. I ASSIGNED A 060 DEG HDG FOR RADAR VECTORS AROUND BUCKEYE MOA AND ALSO VECTORS FOR FINAL APCH AT CMH. CPR X WAS CLRING THE MOA, THE SECTOR ADJACENT TO ME, PKB-LOW, MADE POINTOUT TO ME ON A BE90R, CLRING THE MOA AND TURNING TO ASW AT 16000 FT. I OBSERVED 5 1/2 - 6 MI BTWN CPR X AND NGA Y SO I ISSUED CPR X PLT'S DISCRETION FROM FL190 TO 11000 FT. (SINCE WE WERE OPERATIONAL DARC/HOST, CONFLICT ALERT NOR DODECAGON WERE NOT AVAILABLE TO ME, SO I OBSERVED 5 MI VISUALLY BTWN THE 2 ACFT.) CPR X WAS NEARING THE PKB SECTOR, SO I MADE A POINTOUT TO PKB WITH REF TO NGA Y. (THIS IS WHEN I OBSERVED 5 1/2 - 6 MI BTWN THE ACFT.) AFTER PKB APPROVED THE POINTOUT THE CTLR TOLD ME THAT AS I WAS BUSY, HE WOULD WORK CPR X INTO CMH. JUST TO ENSURE THE SEPARATION, I TURNED CPR X 15 DEGS R TO 075 DEG HDG AND SWITCHED HIM TO PKB. THIS ADDITIONAL 15 DEG TURN NOW GAVE APPROX 6 - 6 1/2 MI SEPARATION BTWN CPR X AND NGA Y, SO I TOLD CPR X TO START HIS DSCNT NOW FROM FL190 TO 11000 FT. THE 6 - 6 1/2 MI SEPARATION WAS INCREASING AT THIS POINT. APPROX 5 MINS LATER, MY SUPVR ADVISED ME THAT I WAS DECERTIFIED DUE TO OPERROR OCCURRING BTWN CPR X AND NGA Y WITH 4 MI AND 700 FT. EVEN THOUGH I WAS USING DARC AS AN OPERATIONAL SYS AND I OBSERVED 5 1/2 MI AND INCREASING I WAS STILL DECERTIFIED DUE TO DATA IN NAS. I FEEL THAT AN ERROR DID NOT OCCUR BECAUSE THE SYS I WAS USING PORTRAYED 5 1/2 MI INCREASING, AND IF NAS WAS NOT CERTIFIED TO USE THEN THE DATA RECEIVED IN NAS CANNOT BE USED TO JUDGE SEPARATION. HOWEVER, I STILL HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH THE ERROR. IN MY OPINION, IF WHAT I AM USING AS AN OPERATIONAL SYS THAT SHOWS 5 MI OR MORE AND A DIFFERENT SYS SHOWS UP TO 3-4 MI DIFFERENT THAN WHAT IS ON MY SCOPE, AND I AM HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR A SYS THAT IS NOT CERTIFIED FOR ME TO USE, THIS PUTS A VERY REAL DANGER TO THE FLYING PUBLIC BECAUSE ACFT COULD INDEED BE MUCH CLOSER AND EVEN DANGEROUSLY CLOSE TO EACH OTHER AND MY RADAR WILL NOT SHOW THE TRUE DISTANCE. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR INDICATED THAT THE BUSS LINE PROB THAT REQUIRED THEM TO USE THE DARC SYS FOR 3 DAYS HAS BEEN FIXED AND THAT THE SYS IS BACK IN SVC WITH ONLY OCCASIONAL USE OF THE DARC. RPTR STATED THE OPERROR IS STILL ON FILE BUT THAT THE RPTR HAS NOT BEEN CHARGED WITH IT AS THERE WAS A DISCREPANCY BTWN THE DARC AND NAS SYS.

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.