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ZAU ARTCC radar controller working combined position unable to maintain separation between 2 flts at FL330.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 546859 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200205 |
| Day | Sat |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : bae.vortac |
| State Reference | WI |
| Altitude | msl single value : 33000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 30 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zau.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 50 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : combined radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 17 controller time certified in position1 : 12 flight time total : 110 |
| ASRS Report | 546859 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe inflight encounter : turbulence non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 27000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
2 aircraft at FL330 were realized to be a factor entering sector. Aircraft to the north was vectored towards his destination (grr) to extend conflict point. This should have resolved situation because he would then start down before aircraft got close. Due to turbulence in the area, everyone was asking about rides. That, and the number of data blocks, was a factor. Due to overlap, I didn't realize that aircraft vectored toward grr had drifted south. When I realized, I still had time to resolve situation, due to frequency congestion, I had to call 4 times to get aircraft to respond. This was too late. I was working a combined sector and if it had been split, I think this would have relieved both data block overlap and frequencys.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZAU ARTCC RADAR CTLR WORKING COMBINED POS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN SEPARATION BTWN 2 FLTS AT FL330.
Narrative: 2 ACFT AT FL330 WERE REALIZED TO BE A FACTOR ENTERING SECTOR. ACFT TO THE N WAS VECTORED TOWARDS HIS DEST (GRR) TO EXTEND CONFLICT POINT. THIS SHOULD HAVE RESOLVED SIT BECAUSE HE WOULD THEN START DOWN BEFORE ACFT GOT CLOSE. DUE TO TURB IN THE AREA, EVERYONE WAS ASKING ABOUT RIDES. THAT, AND THE NUMBER OF DATA BLOCKS, WAS A FACTOR. DUE TO OVERLAP, I DIDN'T REALIZE THAT ACFT VECTORED TOWARD GRR HAD DRIFTED S. WHEN I REALIZED, I STILL HAD TIME TO RESOLVE SIT, DUE TO FREQ CONGESTION, I HAD TO CALL 4 TIMES TO GET ACFT TO RESPOND. THIS WAS TOO LATE. I WAS WORKING A COMBINED SECTOR AND IF IT HAD BEEN SPLIT, I THINK THIS WOULD HAVE RELIEVED BOTH DATA BLOCK OVERLAP AND FREQS.
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.