 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ZAU ARTCC controller controling opposite direction traffic at FL370 failed to provide appropriate separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 472501 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200005 |
| Day | Sun |
| Local Time Of Day | 1801 To 2400 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : iow.vortac |
| State Reference | IA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Navigation In Use | other vortac |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 13 |
| ASRS Report | 472501 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure |
| Independent Detector | aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 12000 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Air carrier X was eastbound at FL370 and air carrier Y was wbound, also at FL370. The supervisor had announced that we were switching to darc at XA15. Although my manual controller asked that we wait 15-20 mins due to heavy traffic, the supervisor made the decision to go darc. The j-ball that I had put on air carrier Y disappeared when we transitioned to darc, and unfortunately I was too busy to go back and put it back on the target. At approximately XA20, aircraft #1 asked if we had traffic for him. I turned both aircraft 20 degrees right to attempt separation. Air carrier X announced that he was responding to an RA and descended to FL364. After the 2 aircraft passed, I turned both back on course and climbed air carrier X back to FL370. I don't believe the situation would have occurred had we been allowed to continue using our main radar. The darc does not have conflict alert and the transition to darc was somewhat hectic due to the number of aircraft involved.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZAU ARTCC CTLR CTLING OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC AT FL370 FAILED TO PROVIDE APPROPRIATE SEPARATION.
Narrative: ACR X WAS EBOUND AT FL370 AND ACR Y WAS WBOUND, ALSO AT FL370. THE SUPVR HAD ANNOUNCED THAT WE WERE SWITCHING TO DARC AT XA15. ALTHOUGH MY MANUAL CTLR ASKED THAT WE WAIT 15-20 MINS DUE TO HVY TFC, THE SUPVR MADE THE DECISION TO GO DARC. THE J-BALL THAT I HAD PUT ON ACR Y DISAPPEARED WHEN WE TRANSITIONED TO DARC, AND UNFORTUNATELY I WAS TOO BUSY TO GO BACK AND PUT IT BACK ON THE TARGET. AT APPROX XA20, ACFT #1 ASKED IF WE HAD TFC FOR HIM. I TURNED BOTH ACFT 20 DEGS R TO ATTEMPT SEPARATION. ACR X ANNOUNCED THAT HE WAS RESPONDING TO AN RA AND DSNDED TO FL364. AFTER THE 2 ACFT PASSED, I TURNED BOTH BACK ON COURSE AND CLBED ACR X BACK TO FL370. I DON'T BELIEVE THE SIT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED HAD WE BEEN ALLOWED TO CONTINUE USING OUR MAIN RADAR. THE DARC DOES NOT HAVE CONFLICT ALERT AND THE TRANSITION TO DARC WAS SOMEWHAT HECTIC DUE TO THE NUMBER OF ACFT INVOLVED.
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.