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ZBW ARTCC controller working a C550 climbing to 18000 ft reassigns 16000 ft for traffic, but does not get an acknowledgement.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 561990 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200209 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| State Reference | MA |
| Altitude | msl single value : 17000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : corporate |
| Make Model Name | Citation II S2/Bravo |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : handoff position |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 12 controller time certified in position1 : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 561998 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert atc equipment other atc equipment : radar other controllera other controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb other other : 3 |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action other |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 15600 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance Flight Crew Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
At sector 36, C550 departed mht sbound over hto, was issued FL180 for traffic established in a block altitude FL190-FL210. Additional traffic at 17000 ft (E145) was flashed to our sector. Radar controller amended data block to reflect 16000 ft as interim altitude. After review of tape, acknowledgement of clearance was not confirmed. Aircraft communication xferred to bosox sector. The bosox radar controller issued evasive control instructions to E145 shortly after observing C550 go through what appeared to be his assigned altitude. C550 never checked on this sector's frequency or else was covered, if he did. Thus, the receiving sector did not have a chance to catch the erroneous altitude assignment. This was a case of preplanning gone awry. The status of the data block reflected the controller's (at gdm) intention for an amended altitude, but the clearance was never issued. Other contributing factors: workload, frequency congestion, and experience on the sector, the radar controller at gdm was recently certified there.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZBW ARTCC CTLR WORKING A C550 CLBING TO 18000 FT REASSIGNS 16000 FT FOR TFC, BUT DOES NOT GET AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Narrative: AT SECTOR 36, C550 DEPARTED MHT SBOUND OVER HTO, WAS ISSUED FL180 FOR TFC ESTABLISHED IN A BLOCK ALT FL190-FL210. ADDITIONAL TFC AT 17000 FT (E145) WAS FLASHED TO OUR SECTOR. RADAR CTLR AMENDED DATA BLOCK TO REFLECT 16000 FT AS INTERIM ALT. AFTER REVIEW OF TAPE, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF CLRNC WAS NOT CONFIRMED. ACFT COM XFERRED TO BOSOX SECTOR. THE BOSOX RADAR CTLR ISSUED EVASIVE CTL INSTRUCTIONS TO E145 SHORTLY AFTER OBSERVING C550 GO THROUGH WHAT APPEARED TO BE HIS ASSIGNED ALT. C550 NEVER CHKED ON THIS SECTOR'S FREQ OR ELSE WAS COVERED, IF HE DID. THUS, THE RECEIVING SECTOR DID NOT HAVE A CHANCE TO CATCH THE ERRONEOUS ALT ASSIGNMENT. THIS WAS A CASE OF PREPLANNING GONE AWRY. THE STATUS OF THE DATA BLOCK REFLECTED THE CTLR'S (AT GDM) INTENTION FOR AN AMENDED ALT, BUT THE CLRNC WAS NEVER ISSUED. OTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: WORKLOAD, FREQ CONGESTION, AND EXPERIENCE ON THE SECTOR, THE RADAR CTLR AT GDM WAS RECENTLY CERTIFIED THERE.
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.