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ZID controller failed to recognize vertical loss of separation on opposite direction traffic, both descending to FL310.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 451916 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199910 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 31000 msl bound upper : 32400 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 9 |
| ASRS Report | 451916 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure |
| Resolutory Action | controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 16800 vertical : 1400 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
The sector was moderately busy. I had 4 FL330 aircraft on headings to miss each other. I had a MOA hot FL280 and below in my sector with an aircraft heading for it that I was vectoring at the time of the incident. Aircraft #2 was at FL310 swbound. I had switched aircraft #2 around pxv VORTAC. Aircraft #1 was nebound about 40 mi from pxv VORTAC when I took the handoff. Aircraft #1 was at FL330. Aircraft #1 needed to be descended because he was a cvg arrival. Upon handoff I realized I needed to descend aircraft #1 early to avoid other FL330 aircraft. I descended aircraft #1 about 20 mi southwest pxv VORTAC overlooking aircraft #2 at pxv VORTAC. After descending aircraft #1 to FL310, I went to the other part of my sector to adjust headings on the other FL330 traffic. Then I descended another aircraft before looking back at aircraft #1. When I did look at aircraft #1 he was at FL324 7 mi head-on with aircraft #2. I immediately climbed aircraft #1 back to FL330. Both aircraft had TCASII and neither had an alert. Multiple conflict alert systems activated.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZID CTLR FAILED TO RECOGNIZE VERT LOSS OF SEPARATION ON OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC, BOTH DSNDING TO FL310.
Narrative: THE SECTOR WAS MODERATELY BUSY. I HAD 4 FL330 ACFT ON HEADINGS TO MISS EACH OTHER. I HAD A MOA HOT FL280 AND BELOW IN MY SECTOR WITH AN ACFT HEADING FOR IT THAT I WAS VECTORING AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. ACFT #2 WAS AT FL310 SWBOUND. I HAD SWITCHED ACFT #2 AROUND PXV VORTAC. ACFT #1 WAS NEBOUND ABOUT 40 MI FROM PXV VORTAC WHEN I TOOK THE HDOF. ACFT #1 WAS AT FL330. ACFT #1 NEEDED TO BE DSNDED BECAUSE HE WAS A CVG ARR. UPON HDOF I REALIZED I NEEDED TO DSND ACFT #1 EARLY TO AVOID OTHER FL330 ACFT. I DSNDED ACFT #1 ABOUT 20 MI SW PXV VORTAC OVERLOOKING ACFT #2 AT PXV VORTAC. AFTER DSNDING ACFT #1 TO FL310, I WENT TO THE OTHER PART OF MY SECTOR TO ADJUST HEADINGS ON THE OTHER FL330 TFC. THEN I DSNDED ANOTHER ACFT BEFORE LOOKING BACK AT ACFT #1. WHEN I DID LOOK AT ACFT #1 HE WAS AT FL324 7 MI HEAD-ON WITH ACFT #2. I IMMEDIATELY CLBED ACFT #1 BACK TO FL330. BOTH ACFT HAD TCASII AND NEITHER HAD AN ALERT. MULTIPLE CONFLICT ALERT SYSTEMS ACTIVATED.
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.