ARTCC controller 'a' failed to follow LOA when descending a super MD80 for arrival, or make appropri...

Attributes
ACN	471708
Time
Date	200004
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0001 To 0600
Place
State Reference	TX
Altitude	msl bound lower : 11000 msl bound upper : 35000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Night
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	MD-80 Super 80
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Route In Use	arrival other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zfw.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Learjet 35
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Qualification	controller : radar pilot : instrument pilot : private
Experience	controller non radar : 2 controller radar : 13 flight time total : 4000
ASRS Report	471708
Person 2
Affiliation	company : air carrier
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	non adherence : published procedure non adherence other
Independent Detector	atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : separated traffic controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Intra Facility Coordination Failure Operational Deviation

Narrative:

With late night operations in place, air carrier X had been cleared direct dfw airport. When controller 'a' assumed control of air carrier X, he reclred air carrier X over cqy (cedar creek VORTAC) which is a corner post used for normal day operations. This new routing was entered in the computer and strips printed at controller B's sector. Knowing this routing was not in accordance with procedures dictated by an LOA, which was effective at that time, and controller 'B' having already informed controller 'a' of the proper routing, and the late night operations were in effect, controller 'B' expected air carrier X to be reclred direct dfw airport. Controller 'a' did not reclr air carrier X back direct dfw airport as he should but, instead initiated a handoff to controller 'B.' shortly after handoff initiation, the conflict alert activated between air carrier X and cpr Y. Controller B expected the required coordination call from controller 'a' because air carrier X was not proceeding direct dfw airport in accordance with LOA procedures. Air carrier X's present course placed him in conflict with cpr Y. Air carrier X entered controller B's airspace without proper coordination and without a handoff and in conflict with another aircraft. Controller 'B' turned air carrier X and made a call in the blind for air carrier X. Air carrier X responded to the in-the-blind call and was assigned an altitude which ensured vertical separation. (No loss of separation occurred.) chain of events: controller 'a' refused to acknowledge and comply with late night operation procedures even after controller 'B' had previously informed him that the LOA was in effect and what routing controller 'a' should use. Controller 'a' failed to coordinate a routing with controller 'B' which was different from that which air carrier X should have been cleared. Controller 'a' failed to contain air carrier X within his airspace until a handoff had been accepted. Controller 'a' switched to controller 'B' frequency prematurely.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ARTCC CTLR 'A' FAILED TO FOLLOW LOA WHEN DSNDING A SUPER MD80 FOR ARR, OR MAKE APPROPRIATE HDOF TO CTLR 'B,' RESULTING IN CTLR B CALLING THE MD80 IN THE BLIND AND GIVING A HDG CHANGE TO AVOID A LEAR JET.

Narrative: WITH LATE NIGHT OPS IN PLACE, ACR X HAD BEEN CLRED DIRECT DFW ARPT. WHEN CTLR 'A' ASSUMED CTL OF ACR X, HE RECLRED ACR X OVER CQY (CEDAR CREEK VORTAC) WHICH IS A CORNER POST USED FOR NORMAL DAY OPS. THIS NEW ROUTING WAS ENTERED IN THE COMPUTER AND STRIPS PRINTED AT CTLR B'S SECTOR. KNOWING THIS ROUTING WAS NOT IN ACCORDANCE WITH PROCS DICTATED BY AN LOA, WHICH WAS EFFECTIVE AT THAT TIME, AND CTLR 'B' HAVING ALREADY INFORMED CTLR 'A' OF THE PROPER ROUTING, AND THE LATE NIGHT OPS WERE IN EFFECT, CTLR 'B' EXPECTED ACR X TO BE RECLRED DIRECT DFW ARPT. CTLR 'A' DID NOT RECLR ACR X BACK DIRECT DFW ARPT AS HE SHOULD BUT, INSTEAD INITIATED A HDOF TO CTLR 'B.' SHORTLY AFTER HDOF INITIATION, THE CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED BTWN ACR X AND CPR Y. CTLR B EXPECTED THE REQUIRED COORD CALL FROM CTLR 'A' BECAUSE ACR X WAS NOT PROCEEDING DIRECT DFW ARPT IN ACCORDANCE WITH LOA PROCS. ACR X'S PRESENT COURSE PLACED HIM IN CONFLICT WITH CPR Y. ACR X ENTERED CTLR B'S AIRSPACE WITHOUT PROPER COORD AND WITHOUT A HDOF AND IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT. CTLR 'B' TURNED ACR X AND MADE A CALL IN THE BLIND FOR ACR X. ACR X RESPONDED TO THE IN-THE-BLIND CALL AND WAS ASSIGNED AN ALT WHICH ENSURED VERT SEPARATION. (NO LOSS OF SEPARATION OCCURRED.) CHAIN OF EVENTS: CTLR 'A' REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND COMPLY WITH LATE NIGHT OP PROCS EVEN AFTER CTLR 'B' HAD PREVIOUSLY INFORMED HIM THAT THE LOA WAS IN EFFECT AND WHAT ROUTING CTLR 'A' SHOULD USE. CTLR 'A' FAILED TO COORDINATE A ROUTING WITH CTLR 'B' WHICH WAS DIFFERENT FROM THAT WHICH ACR X SHOULD HAVE BEEN CLRED. CTLR 'A' FAILED TO CONTAIN ACR X WITHIN HIS AIRSPACE UNTIL A HDOF HAD BEEN ACCEPTED. CTLR 'A' SWITCHED TO CTLR 'B' FREQ PREMATURELY.

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.

ARTCC controller 'a' failed to follow LOA when descending a super MD80 for arrival, or make appropriate handoff to controller 'B,' resulting in controller B calling the MD80 in the blind and giving a heading change to avoid a lear jet.