ZDC ARTCC radar controller inadequately vectored traffic for separation.

Attributes
ACN	592583
Time
Date	200309
Day	Tue
Local Time Of Day	1801 To 2400
Place
State Reference	NC
Altitude	msl single value : 29000
Environment
Weather Elements	Thunderstorm
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	common carrier : air carrier
Make Model Name	A321
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 121
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zdc.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Challenger CL600
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Route In Use	departure : on vectors
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : flight data
Qualification	controller : radar
Experience	controller radar : 4 controller time certified in position1 : 22
ASRS Report	592583
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne critical inflight encounter : weather 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 controllerb other flight crewa other flight crewb
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance
Consequence	faa : investigated
Miss Distance	horizontal : 25800 vertical : 0
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

The problem arose due to increased traffic volume generated by thunderstorm rertes by tmu. The sector was busy with numerous aircraft climbing and descending. The airbus (eastbound at FL290) and the challenger (sbound, climbing to FL350) lost separation over fkn VORTAC, despite recognition of conflict and turns initiated by the radar controller. I was working the data position, heard the radar controller issue a 010 degree heading to the airbus and a 200 degree heading to the challenger. I initiated a 5 mi halo on the airbus and mentioned that additional turns may be necessary to maintain 5 mi. The radar controller said 'too late now' as they passed each other with 4.3 mi. Additional causal factors include overlapping data blocks (due to congestion of airspace) and call sign transposition (call sign numbers reversed initially, delaying the airbus turn). Bottom line: too little, too late (turns), even though conflict was recognized in time to avoid separation loss. In retrospect, utilization of additional turns or use of altitude (stopping the challenger's climb at FL280) would have solved the dilemma.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZDC ARTCC RADAR CTLR INADEQUATELY VECTORED TFC FOR SEPARATION.

Narrative: THE PROB AROSE DUE TO INCREASED TFC VOLUME GENERATED BY TSTM RERTES BY TMU. THE SECTOR WAS BUSY WITH NUMEROUS ACFT CLBING AND DSNDING. THE AIRBUS (EBOUND AT FL290) AND THE CHALLENGER (SBOUND, CLBING TO FL350) LOST SEPARATION OVER FKN VORTAC, DESPITE RECOGNITION OF CONFLICT AND TURNS INITIATED BY THE RADAR CTLR. I WAS WORKING THE DATA POS, HEARD THE RADAR CTLR ISSUE A 010 DEG HDG TO THE AIRBUS AND A 200 DEG HDG TO THE CHALLENGER. I INITIATED A 5 MI HALO ON THE AIRBUS AND MENTIONED THAT ADDITIONAL TURNS MAY BE NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN 5 MI. THE RADAR CTLR SAID 'TOO LATE NOW' AS THEY PASSED EACH OTHER WITH 4.3 MI. ADDITIONAL CAUSAL FACTORS INCLUDE OVERLAPPING DATA BLOCKS (DUE TO CONGESTION OF AIRSPACE) AND CALL SIGN TRANSPOSITION (CALL SIGN NUMBERS REVERSED INITIALLY, DELAYING THE AIRBUS TURN). BOTTOM LINE: TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE (TURNS), EVEN THOUGH CONFLICT WAS RECOGNIZED IN TIME TO AVOID SEPARATION LOSS. IN RETROSPECT, UTILIZATION OF ADDITIONAL TURNS OR USE OF ALT (STOPPING THE CHALLENGER'S CLB AT FL280) WOULD HAVE SOLVED THE DILEMMA.

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.