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ZDC controller is unable to maintain appropriate separation between 2 air carrier's being descended through and around other traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 465477 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200003 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 29000 msl bound upper : 31000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Commercial Fixed Wing |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 9 controller time certified in position1 : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 465477 |
| 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 : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 19600 vertical : 1600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance Airspace Structure ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Air carrier X (FL330), air carrier Y (FL290) were approved from handoff sector at wrong altitude for direction of flight. Air carrier X was vectored for climbing aircraft and descended to FL310. Air carrier Y was vectored 15 degrees left for climbing traffic. J-ball [electronically placed 5 mi ring around aircraft concerned] was used on air carrier X for separation with climbing traffic and also for potential conflicting traffic crossing route of flight. Air carrier X was issued right turn for traffic at FL310 and given descent to FL280. Air carrier Y was given left turn to 160 degrees for a climb. Air carrier Y did not take the heading and questioned assigned heading. Air carrier Y then issued a left turn to 150 degrees. Separation was lost because too much attention was paid to several aircraft crossing air carrier X and air carrier Y route of flight at FL310. This occurrence was preceded by a weekly 'quick turnaround.' that is, leaving work at XC30 pm the previous evening, and having to be at work no less than XB00 am (actual sign-in time XA30 am). This is an assigned shift on a weekly basis.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR IS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN APPROPRIATE SEPARATION BTWN 2 ACR'S BEING DSNDED THROUGH AND AROUND OTHER TFC.
Narrative: ACR X (FL330), ACR Y (FL290) WERE APPROVED FROM HDOF SECTOR AT WRONG ALT FOR DIRECTION OF FLT. ACR X WAS VECTORED FOR CLBING ACFT AND DSNDED TO FL310. ACR Y WAS VECTORED 15 DEGS L FOR CLBING TFC. J-BALL [ELECTRONICALLY PLACED 5 MI RING AROUND ACFT CONCERNED] WAS USED ON ACR X FOR SEPARATION WITH CLBING TFC AND ALSO FOR POTENTIAL CONFLICTING TFC XING RTE OF FLT. ACR X WAS ISSUED R TURN FOR TFC AT FL310 AND GIVEN DSCNT TO FL280. ACR Y WAS GIVEN L TURN TO 160 DEGS FOR A CLB. ACR Y DID NOT TAKE THE HDG AND QUESTIONED ASSIGNED HDG. ACR Y THEN ISSUED A L TURN TO 150 DEGS. SEPARATION WAS LOST BECAUSE TOO MUCH ATTN WAS PAID TO SEVERAL ACFT XING ACR X AND ACR Y RTE OF FLT AT FL310. THIS OCCURRENCE WAS PRECEDED BY A WKLY 'QUICK TURNAROUND.' THAT IS, LEAVING WORK AT XC30 PM THE PREVIOUS EVENING, AND HAVING TO BE AT WORK NO LESS THAN XB00 AM (ACTUAL SIGN-IN TIME XA30 AM). THIS IS AN ASSIGNED SHIFT ON A WKLY BASIS.
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.