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ARTCC radar controller climbs air carrier aircraft without seeing conflicting air carrier traffic in cruise flight. When conflict alert draws the attention of the controller, he initiates control actions to maintain separation, without success.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 411918 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : mzv |
| State Reference | IL |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 34000 msl bound upper : 35000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 411918 |
| 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 : insufficient time other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 1000 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Aircraft #1, las-iad, called on requesting FL370 (from FL330). I climbed him without seeing aircraft #2, day-oak, at FL350. At the time of the incident I was moderately busy attempting to separate two other jets just east of des moines, approximately 150 mi west of where the error occurred. My scan was not quick enough to cover the entire 200 mi width of my sector in time to stop the incident. I first became aware of the error through the conflict alert system. I turned the aircraft #1 to a 180 degree heading and stopped his climb at FL340. I turned the aircraft #2 to a 360 degree heading and issued traffic. I believe a large contributing factor to the error was the resectorization of airspace which occurred last week. I also believe we can expect similar problems until staffing increases permit more help at our sectors.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR CLBS ACR ACFT WITHOUT SEEING CONFLICTING ACR TFC IN CRUISE FLT. WHEN CONFLICT ALERT DRAWS THE ATTN OF THE CTLR, HE INITIATES CTL ACTIONS TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION, WITHOUT SUCCESS.
Narrative: ACFT #1, LAS-IAD, CALLED ON REQUESTING FL370 (FROM FL330). I CLBED HIM WITHOUT SEEING ACFT #2, DAY-OAK, AT FL350. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT I WAS MODERATELY BUSY ATTEMPTING TO SEPARATE TWO OTHER JETS JUST E OF DES MOINES, APPROX 150 MI W OF WHERE THE ERROR OCCURRED. MY SCAN WAS NOT QUICK ENOUGH TO COVER THE ENTIRE 200 MI WIDTH OF MY SECTOR IN TIME TO STOP THE INCIDENT. I FIRST BECAME AWARE OF THE ERROR THROUGH THE CONFLICT ALERT SYS. I TURNED THE ACFT #1 TO A 180 DEG HDG AND STOPPED HIS CLB AT FL340. I TURNED THE ACFT #2 TO A 360 DEG HDG AND ISSUED TFC. I BELIEVE A LARGE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE ERROR WAS THE RESECTORIZATION OF AIRSPACE WHICH OCCURRED LAST WK. I ALSO BELIEVE WE CAN EXPECT SIMILAR PROBS UNTIL STAFFING INCREASES PERMIT MORE HELP AT OUR SECTORS.
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.