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ARTCC radar controller reacts to conflict alert after he has descended an FK10 in conflict with an A320. Controller admits to his error, states distraction caused by diverting traffic in his sector, and more than usual 'conflict' points.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 412264 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199808 |
| Day | Tue |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : hvq |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 32200 msl bound upper : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Fokker 100 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | arrival other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 3 controller non radar : 10 controller radar : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 412264 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : flight data |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| 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 | none taken : detected after the fact |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 19200 vertical : 1200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Although no WX was impacting the sector involved, several aircraft were rted through this airspace on 'swap' rtes not normally seen. The extra aircraft in the sector caused some 'conflict points' in different locations than usually occur. The problem arose when 1 aircraft (aircraft #1 landing phl) was noticed in conflict with another crossing at FL330. As the phl arrival was to be descended in the next sector anyway, I decided to hand off the aircraft at FL290. The sector volume was moderate to heavy at the time and the normal routine of descending metropolitan (iad, dca, bwi) arrs was consuming most of my attention. A handoff controller was working with me and I stated my intent to descend aircraft #1 but I couldn't do it now because of the crossing traffic at FL310 (aircraft #2). I then issued a few more clrncs to aircraft on the other side of the sector, then returned to descend aircraft #1 to FL290. Conflict alert activated and aircraft #1 was reclred to climb and maintain FL330. Closest proximity was 1200 ft vertical (FL310, FL322) and +/-3.2 mi horizontal. In my rush to 'make things move along,' an error in judgement occurred, resulting in a loss of ATC separation.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ARTCC RADAR CTLR REACTS TO CONFLICT ALERT AFTER HE HAS DSNDED AN FK10 IN CONFLICT WITH AN A320. CTLR ADMITS TO HIS ERROR, STATES DISTR CAUSED BY DIVERTING TFC IN HIS SECTOR, AND MORE THAN USUAL 'CONFLICT' POINTS.
Narrative: ALTHOUGH NO WX WAS IMPACTING THE SECTOR INVOLVED, SEVERAL ACFT WERE RTED THROUGH THIS AIRSPACE ON 'SWAP' RTES NOT NORMALLY SEEN. THE EXTRA ACFT IN THE SECTOR CAUSED SOME 'CONFLICT POINTS' IN DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THAN USUALLY OCCUR. THE PROB AROSE WHEN 1 ACFT (ACFT #1 LNDG PHL) WAS NOTICED IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER XING AT FL330. AS THE PHL ARR WAS TO BE DSNDED IN THE NEXT SECTOR ANYWAY, I DECIDED TO HAND OFF THE ACFT AT FL290. THE SECTOR VOLUME WAS MODERATE TO HVY AT THE TIME AND THE NORMAL ROUTINE OF DSNDING METRO (IAD, DCA, BWI) ARRS WAS CONSUMING MOST OF MY ATTN. A HDOF CTLR WAS WORKING WITH ME AND I STATED MY INTENT TO DSND ACFT #1 BUT I COULDN'T DO IT NOW BECAUSE OF THE XING TFC AT FL310 (ACFT #2). I THEN ISSUED A FEW MORE CLRNCS TO ACFT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE SECTOR, THEN RETURNED TO DSND ACFT #1 TO FL290. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED AND ACFT #1 WAS RECLRED TO CLB AND MAINTAIN FL330. CLOSEST PROX WAS 1200 FT VERT (FL310, FL322) AND +/-3.2 MI HORIZ. IN MY RUSH TO 'MAKE THINGS MOVE ALONG,' AN ERROR IN JUDGEMENT OCCURRED, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ATC SEPARATION.
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.