Air carrier X on national route program flight turned unexpectedly into the path of air carrier Y.

Attributes
ACN	420908
Time
Date	199810
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : dqn
State Reference	OH
Altitude	msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : developmental
Experience	controller radar : 1
ASRS Report	420908
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Events
Anomaly	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 : unable
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 27186
Supplementary
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Aircraft X wbound national route program flight, J80 to J29 for lax. Very unusual flight. Makes 40 degree turn at intersection of airways. Aircraft Y was vectored to a point south of J80, climbed to FL350, cleared direct to stl to avoid aircraft X on J80. Aircraft X hit J29, turned south into aircraft Y. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter stated when air carrier X came into his sector he did not have the full routing on the flight and was expecting the crew to continue wbound on J80. After the incident, the reporter learned air carrier was routed via J29 because of a very strong west wind, approximately 130 KTS. Asked if other incidents have occurred using national route program routings, the reporter replied yes, a few similar to this one in the last 6 months. The reporter said had not received any training or briefings on national route program. He also said he has been checked out about 13 months on the position.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ACR X ON NATL RTE PROGRAM FLT TURNED UNEXPECTEDLY INTO THE PATH OF ACR Y.

Narrative: ACFT X WBOUND NATL RTE PROGRAM FLT, J80 TO J29 FOR LAX. VERY UNUSUAL FLT. MAKES 40 DEG TURN AT INTXN OF AIRWAYS. ACFT Y WAS VECTORED TO A POINT S OF J80, CLBED TO FL350, CLRED DIRECT TO STL TO AVOID ACFT X ON J80. ACFT X HIT J29, TURNED S INTO ACFT Y. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATED WHEN ACR X CAME INTO HIS SECTOR HE DID NOT HAVE THE FULL ROUTING ON THE FLT AND WAS EXPECTING THE CREW TO CONTINUE WBOUND ON J80. AFTER THE INCIDENT, THE RPTR LEARNED ACR WAS ROUTED VIA J29 BECAUSE OF A VERY STRONG W WIND, APPROX 130 KTS. ASKED IF OTHER INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED USING NATL RTE PROGRAM ROUTINGS, THE RPTR REPLIED YES, A FEW SIMILAR TO THIS ONE IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS. THE RPTR SAID HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY TRAINING OR BRIEFINGS ON NATL RTE PROGRAM. HE ALSO SAID HE HAS BEEN CHKED OUT ABOUT 13 MONTHS ON THE POS.

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.