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ZHU controller projects 'range line' to anticipate proposed separation. Separation did not materialize and last min vector attempts cannot maintain required separation.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 496393 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200012 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : das.vortac |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 22000 msl bound upper : 23000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tower : eko.tower |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | King Air 100 A/B |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Route In Use | enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : enroute altitude change |
| Route In Use | arrival star : daisetta |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15.5 |
| ASRS Report | 496393 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | other |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24000 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
The king air (aircraft X) was eastbound toward lft at FL230. Air carrier Y was descending to FL240. When air carrier Y checked on, I used the range lines to check distance in 2-4 mins. I thought air carrier Y was descending at a rate which would clear the king air. I gave him further descent to 17000 ft. I went on to other control functions. When I looked back, I realized he would not clear the king air. I turned the king air 15 degrees left and turned air carrier Y 30 degrees and told him to expedite through FL220. I felt this was enough to maintain separation. When the air carrier reported out of FL220, he was 4 mi from the king air. The king air reported the air carrier in sight, but visual separation cannot be used above FL180. The error detection patch logged the closest point at 4 mi and 600 ft.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZHU CTLR PROJECTS 'RANGE LINE' TO ANTICIPATE PROPOSED SEPARATION. SEPARATION DID NOT MATERIALIZE AND LAST MIN VECTOR ATTEMPTS CANNOT MAINTAIN REQUIRED SEPARATION.
Narrative: THE KING AIR (ACFT X) WAS EBOUND TOWARD LFT AT FL230. ACR Y WAS DSNDING TO FL240. WHEN ACR Y CHKED ON, I USED THE RANGE LINES TO CHK DISTANCE IN 2-4 MINS. I THOUGHT ACR Y WAS DSNDING AT A RATE WHICH WOULD CLR THE KING AIR. I GAVE HIM FURTHER DSCNT TO 17000 FT. I WENT ON TO OTHER CTL FUNCTIONS. WHEN I LOOKED BACK, I REALIZED HE WOULD NOT CLR THE KING AIR. I TURNED THE KING AIR 15 DEGS L AND TURNED ACR Y 30 DEGS AND TOLD HIM TO EXPEDITE THROUGH FL220. I FELT THIS WAS ENOUGH TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION. WHEN THE ACR RPTED OUT OF FL220, HE WAS 4 MI FROM THE KING AIR. THE KING AIR RPTED THE ACR IN SIGHT, BUT VISUAL SEPARATION CANNOT BE USED ABOVE FL180. THE ERROR DETECTION PATCH LOGGED THE CLOSEST POINT AT 4 MI AND 600 FT.
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.