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37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
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ARTCC controller erroneously climbed an MD88 through the assigned altitude of an MD80. The controller put the correct altitude of the MD88 in the data block which would have provided the correct separation from the MD80. The controller observed the loss of vertical separation, issued vectors to both aircraft, but actions were insufficient to maintain separation. Controller cites combined sector workload as a factor.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 391407 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199801 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : orl |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 26300 msl bound upper : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zjx |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-80 Series (DC-9-80) Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | MD-88 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 391407 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| 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 none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 15000 vertical : 100 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
I was working greencove/keystone right side (R76) when air carrier X checked in at FL270 (level). Air carrier Y checked in climbing to FL230. I climbed air carrier Y to FL290 thinking that I had climbed him to FL260. I entered FL260 in the data block. When I observed air carrier Y leaving FL263, I asked him his assigned altitude. He said FL290. I turned both aircraft. Closest point of approach was 2.5 mi at 100 ft. Aircraft were traveling same direction (see diagram). Better attention to the readback could have prevented this incident. The sectors were combined, perhaps having the sectors split would have reduced traffic load.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC CTLR ERRONEOUSLY CLBED AN MD88 THROUGH THE ASSIGNED ALT OF AN MD80. THE CTLR PUT THE CORRECT ALT OF THE MD88 IN THE DATA BLOCK WHICH WOULD HAVE PROVIDED THE CORRECT SEPARATION FROM THE MD80. THE CTLR OBSERVED THE LOSS OF VERT SEPARATION, ISSUED VECTORS TO BOTH ACFT, BUT ACTIONS WERE INSUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. CTLR CITES COMBINED SECTOR WORKLOAD AS A FACTOR.
Narrative: I WAS WORKING GREENCOVE/KEYSTONE R SIDE (R76) WHEN ACR X CHKED IN AT FL270 (LEVEL). ACR Y CHKED IN CLBING TO FL230. I CLBED ACR Y TO FL290 THINKING THAT I HAD CLBED HIM TO FL260. I ENTERED FL260 IN THE DATA BLOCK. WHEN I OBSERVED ACR Y LEAVING FL263, I ASKED HIM HIS ASSIGNED ALT. HE SAID FL290. I TURNED BOTH ACFT. CLOSEST POINT OF APCH WAS 2.5 MI AT 100 FT. ACFT WERE TRAVELING SAME DIRECTION (SEE DIAGRAM). BETTER ATTN TO THE READBACK COULD HAVE PREVENTED THIS INCIDENT. THE SECTORS WERE COMBINED, PERHAPS HAVING THE SECTORS SPLIT WOULD HAVE REDUCED TFC LOAD.
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.