<< >> NASA ASRS Report 420393, November 1998

Even though both aircraft were assigned a speed, center controller did not ensure separation between 2 climbing in trail aircraft. Controller took action too late. Aircraft #2, which was a B737, overtook aircraft #1, a DC9. Standard separation was lost, resulting in an operational error.

Attributes
ACN	420393
Time
Date	199811
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : cam
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 25500 msl bound upper : 25500
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zbw artcc : zny
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Navigation In Use	Other
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller military : 7 controller radar : 15 flight time total : 3
ASRS Report	420393
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : published procedure
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time other
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25200 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

I was working the radar position with 8-9 aircraft on frequency. Aircraft #1 was assigned 300 KTS or greater and aircraft #2 was assigned 300 KTS or less by the previous controller. Aircraft were approximately 7 mi in trail. I climbed aircraft #1 to FL310 and aircraft #2 to FL280. Aircraft #1 was later turned left to syr. Aircraft #2 was closing on and climbing faster than aircraft #1. I stopped aircraft #2 at FL260 to keep him under aircraft #1. Also, aircraft #2 was turned 30 degrees right.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: EVEN THOUGH BOTH ACFT WERE ASSIGNED A SPD, CTR CTLR DID NOT ENSURE SEPARATION BTWN 2 CLBING IN TRAIL ACFT. CTLR TOOK ACTION TOO LATE. ACFT #2, WHICH WAS A B737, OVERTOOK ACFT #1, A DC9. STANDARD SEPARATION WAS LOST, RESULTING IN AN OPERROR.

Narrative: I WAS WORKING THE RADAR POS WITH 8-9 ACFT ON FREQ. ACFT #1 WAS ASSIGNED 300 KTS OR GREATER AND ACFT #2 WAS ASSIGNED 300 KTS OR LESS BY THE PREVIOUS CTLR. ACFT WERE APPROX 7 MI IN TRAIL. I CLBED ACFT #1 TO FL310 AND ACFT #2 TO FL280. ACFT #1 WAS LATER TURNED L TO SYR. ACFT #2 WAS CLOSING ON AND CLBING FASTER THAN ACFT #1. I STOPPED ACFT #2 AT FL260 TO KEEP HIM UNDER ACFT #1. ALSO, ACFT #2 WAS TURNED 30 DEGS R.

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.