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Extremely busy orf approach controller lost separation between a flight of 4 F15's and a BE10 approximately 15 mi northeast of lfi.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 554034 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200207 |
| Day | Thu |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : lfi.airport |
| State Reference | VA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 10000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Weather Elements | other |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : orf.tracon tower : phl.tower |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Eagle (F-15) |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure sid : n/s |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : orf.tracon |
| 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 : on vectors enroute : direct |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : departure |
| Qualification | controller : radar pilot : instrument |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 controller time certified in position1 : 13 flight time total : 650 |
| ASRS Report | 554034 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : military |
| Function | flight crew : single pilot |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : published procedure non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar/mode c other controllera other flight crewa other flight crewb |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued advisory none taken : insufficient time |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 500 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Flight Crew Human Performance ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Working feeder sector during extremely busy/complex sessions. BE10 (too busy, I think it was BE10 was in level flight direct mqi. F15 flight departed lfi on departure procedure nebound. I climbed the flight to FL230. As they approached, I called traffic to the BE10. He saw the fighters, but IFR separation was lost. The closest looked like 500 ft vertical, and 1 mi or so lateral as fighters climbed. The traffic was incredibly busy. Numerous F15 flts arriving/departing with heavy traffic otherwise. Also, the sector covers a large geographic area. A lot to scan when you are busy. All traffic crosses and the BE10 was on an 'odd' direct routing, not on usual flow up/down airways. Don't know what I would do differently. Stopping departures might work, but F15's come back with little fuel. Arrs can't wait. This session was crazier than I remember in a long time.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: EXTREMELY BUSY ORF APCH CTLR LOST SEPARATION BTWN A FLT OF 4 F15'S AND A BE10 APPROX 15 MI NE OF LFI.
Narrative: WORKING FEEDER SECTOR DURING EXTREMELY BUSY/COMPLEX SESSIONS. BE10 (TOO BUSY, I THINK IT WAS BE10 WAS IN LEVEL FLT DIRECT MQI. F15 FLT DEPARTED LFI ON DEP PROC NEBOUND. I CLBED THE FLT TO FL230. AS THEY APCHED, I CALLED TFC TO THE BE10. HE SAW THE FIGHTERS, BUT IFR SEPARATION WAS LOST. THE CLOSEST LOOKED LIKE 500 FT VERT, AND 1 MI OR SO LATERAL AS FIGHTERS CLBED. THE TFC WAS INCREDIBLY BUSY. NUMEROUS F15 FLTS ARRIVING/DEPARTING WITH HVY TFC OTHERWISE. ALSO, THE SECTOR COVERS A LARGE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. A LOT TO SCAN WHEN YOU ARE BUSY. ALL TFC CROSSES AND THE BE10 WAS ON AN 'ODD' DIRECT ROUTING, NOT ON USUAL FLOW UP/DOWN AIRWAYS. DON'T KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY. STOPPING DEPS MIGHT WORK, BUT F15'S COME BACK WITH LITTLE FUEL. ARRS CAN'T WAIT. THIS SESSION WAS CRAZIER THAN I REMEMBER IN A LONG TIME.
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.