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Departure controller with heavy traffic had loss of separation between an MO21 and an LR35. Departure functions had been split to handle the traffic. However, the radar handoff controller was busy assisting both controllers and did not restrict the flow of departing traffic. The reporter estimates that 5-6 different incidents occurred where separation was lost due to the heavy workload. After 30 mins, the reporter stopped departures.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 377068 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199708 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : teb |
| State Reference | NJ |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 1500 msl bound upper : 1500 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | M-20 E Super 21 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Route In Use | departure sid : sid |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 10 |
| ASRS Report | 377068 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 1500 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Entire departure session was a horror show. Working split departure, handled teb, mmu, cdw and traffic departing runway 29 at ewr. Handoff man was splitting time between my radar position and other position. Traffic was heavy. Aircraft performance poor due to heat and humidity. Teb departed aircraft #1, who I was unable to climb due to traffic overhead landing ewr. LR35 departed afterwards on SID and by the time I spoke to him targets had merged. The MO21 had just begun a climb that I had issued only seconds before. Entire session was bad. I failed to control my handoff man who continued to let aircraft go at will. Estimate that 5-6 different events occurred where separation was lost. This particular one was the worst of the group -- position was literally out of control for almost 30 mins until I finally stopped all departures.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: DEP CTLR WITH HVY TFC HAD LOSS OF SEPARATION BTWN AN MO21 AND AN LR35. DEP FUNCTIONS HAD BEEN SPLIT TO HANDLE THE TFC. HOWEVER, THE RADAR HDOF CTLR WAS BUSY ASSISTING BOTH CTLRS AND DID NOT RESTRICT THE FLOW OF DEPARTING TFC. THE RPTR ESTIMATES THAT 5-6 DIFFERENT INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHERE SEPARATION WAS LOST DUE TO THE HVY WORKLOAD. AFTER 30 MINS, THE RPTR STOPPED DEPS.
Narrative: ENTIRE DEP SESSION WAS A HORROR SHOW. WORKING SPLIT DEP, HANDLED TEB, MMU, CDW AND TFC DEPARTING RWY 29 AT EWR. HDOF MAN WAS SPLITTING TIME BTWN MY RADAR POS AND OTHER POS. TFC WAS HVY. ACFT PERFORMANCE POOR DUE TO HEAT AND HUMIDITY. TEB DEPARTED ACFT #1, WHO I WAS UNABLE TO CLB DUE TO TFC OVERHEAD LNDG EWR. LR35 DEPARTED AFTERWARDS ON SID AND BY THE TIME I SPOKE TO HIM TARGETS HAD MERGED. THE MO21 HAD JUST BEGUN A CLB THAT I HAD ISSUED ONLY SECONDS BEFORE. ENTIRE SESSION WAS BAD. I FAILED TO CTL MY HDOF MAN WHO CONTINUED TO LET ACFT GO AT WILL. ESTIMATE THAT 5-6 DIFFERENT EVENTS OCCURRED WHERE SEPARATION WAS LOST. THIS PARTICULAR ONE WAS THE WORST OF THE GROUP -- POS WAS LITERALLY OUT OF CTL FOR ALMOST 30 MINS UNTIL I FINALLY STOPPED ALL DEPS.
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.