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ZDC controller experienced operational error at approximately FL360; as descent clearance was issued through occupied altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 667897 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200507 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : tyi.vortac |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35900 msl bound upper : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 3.25 controller time certified in position1 : 1.41 |
| ASRS Report | 667897 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 20400 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
The airbus 320 was deviating due to thunderstorms. The airbus 320 was level at FL350. The B737 was sbound at FL360 and needed to descend for clt landing. The B737 was also in conflict with another aircraft traveling sebound at FL360. By separating the 2 aircraft at FL360; I created an operational error. I descended the B737 to get under the sebound aircraft and to meet clt landing restrs. No corrective action was taken because when the conflict alert went off; the aircraft were passed each other.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX FL360; AS DSCNT CLRNC WAS ISSUED THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.
Narrative: THE AIRBUS 320 WAS DEVIATING DUE TO TSTMS. THE AIRBUS 320 WAS LEVEL AT FL350. THE B737 WAS SBOUND AT FL360 AND NEEDED TO DSND FOR CLT LNDG. THE B737 WAS ALSO IN CONFLICT WITH ANOTHER ACFT TRAVELING SEBOUND AT FL360. BY SEPARATING THE 2 ACFT AT FL360; I CREATED AN OPERROR. I DSNDED THE B737 TO GET UNDER THE SEBOUND ACFT AND TO MEET CLT LNDG RESTRS. NO CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TAKEN BECAUSE WHEN THE CONFLICT ALERT WENT OFF; THE ACFT WERE PASSED EACH OTHER.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 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.