An experienced approach controller got swamped with traffic and didn't see a potential conflict less than standard separation incident until the conflict alert activated. Reporter had shut off departures and supervisor had tried to assist the reporter, but it was too much traffic for both of them.

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Attributes
ACN	369969
Time
Date	199705
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : dsm
State Reference	IA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 7000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : dsm artcc : zla
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Any Unknown or Unlisted Aircraft Manufacturer
Operating Under FAR Part	other : unknown
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 3 controller radar : 28
ASRS Report	369969
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 15000 vertical : 100
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working west radar at dsm approach during this occurrence. Prior to this position I was working east radar and after looking at the building traffic, I requested a third scope be opened to take some of the load off. When I went to west radar there was still 3 scopes in operation. Shortly after I plugged into the west scope there were 2 aircraft being worked. Approximately 5 mins later I had 15 IFR aircraft that were arriving and departing. I even called the control tower and shut off west departures. Approximately 3 mins later east radar also shut off departures due to workload. I was alerted to the situation because of a conflict alert and issued turns to both aircraft. I feel this occurred because I had too many planes and could not keep up with them. The supervisor was very helpful, but he couldn't keep up with traffic either. Unlike some approach controls, we have no tracks or gates, so aircraft come in all directions.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN EXPERIENCED APCH CTLR GOT SWAMPED WITH TFC AND DIDN'T SEE A POTENTIAL CONFLICT LTSS INCIDENT UNTIL THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. RPTR HAD SHUT OFF DEPS AND SUPVR HAD TRIED TO ASSIST THE RPTR, BUT IT WAS TOO MUCH TFC FOR BOTH OF THEM.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING W RADAR AT DSM APCH DURING THIS OCCURRENCE. PRIOR TO THIS POS I WAS WORKING E RADAR AND AFTER LOOKING AT THE BUILDING TFC, I REQUESTED A THIRD SCOPE BE OPENED TO TAKE SOME OF THE LOAD OFF. WHEN I WENT TO W RADAR THERE WAS STILL 3 SCOPES IN OP. SHORTLY AFTER I PLUGGED INTO THE W SCOPE THERE WERE 2 ACFT BEING WORKED. APPROX 5 MINS LATER I HAD 15 IFR ACFT THAT WERE ARRIVING AND DEPARTING. I EVEN CALLED THE CTL TWR AND SHUT OFF W DEPS. APPROX 3 MINS LATER E RADAR ALSO SHUT OFF DEPS DUE TO WORKLOAD. I WAS ALERTED TO THE SIT BECAUSE OF A CONFLICT ALERT AND ISSUED TURNS TO BOTH ACFT. I FEEL THIS OCCURRED BECAUSE I HAD TOO MANY PLANES AND COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH THEM. THE SUPVR WAS VERY HELPFUL, BUT HE COULDN'T KEEP UP WITH TFC EITHER. UNLIKE SOME APCH CTLS, WE HAVE NO TRACKS OR GATES, SO ACFT COME IN ALL DIRECTIONS.

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.