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ZDC controller experienced operational error at approximately FL180 when descending traffic through occupied altitude; thinking visual separation was being applied.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 692187 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200603 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : pxt.vortac |
| State Reference | MD |
| Altitude | msl single value : 18600 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet 200 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | IAI1124/1124A/Westwind |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 20 |
| ASRS Report | 692187 |
| 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 | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 23400 vertical : 800 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Air carrier X departed to lga requested FL270. Aircraft Y arriving at FL210 needing to get down for arrival. Climbed air carrier X to 17000 ft. Called traffic which was aircraft Y descending to FL180. Air carrier X reported aircraft Y in sight. Using visual separation; or so I thought; told air carrier X to maintain visual separation from aircraft Y and climb to FL230. He did. I descended aircraft Y to 10000 ft and cleared him to gared intersection. He was on a vector away from air carrier X. I advised air carrier X that his traffic was turning toward gared intersection and descending. Advised by management that I misapplied the visual separation rules and was relieved from position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX FL180 WHEN DSNDING TFC THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT; THINKING VISUAL SEPARATION WAS BEING APPLIED.
Narrative: ACR X DEPARTED TO LGA REQUESTED FL270. ACFT Y ARRIVING AT FL210 NEEDING TO GET DOWN FOR ARR. CLBED ACR X TO 17000 FT. CALLED TFC WHICH WAS ACFT Y DSNDING TO FL180. ACR X RPTED ACFT Y IN SIGHT. USING VISUAL SEPARATION; OR SO I THOUGHT; TOLD ACR X TO MAINTAIN VISUAL SEPARATION FROM ACFT Y AND CLB TO FL230. HE DID. I DSNDED ACFT Y TO 10000 FT AND CLRED HIM TO GARED INTXN. HE WAS ON A VECTOR AWAY FROM ACR X. I ADVISED ACR X THAT HIS TFC WAS TURNING TOWARD GARED INTXN AND DSNDING. ADVISED BY MGMNT THAT I MISAPPLIED THE VISUAL SEPARATION RULES AND WAS RELIEVED FROM POS.
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.