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ZDC controller experiences operational error when issuing descent clearance to B737 through the altitude of another aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 698298 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200605 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : rwi.airport |
| State Reference | NC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 36000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc tracon : tpa.tracon |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-800 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| 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 | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller time certified in position1 : 2.5 |
| ASRS Report | 698298 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 20000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Allowing myself to be distraction by lower priority duties; my scan broke down and I issued a descent clearance to an arriving aircraft through the altitude of an overflt. I'm not sure what could have been done or could be done to prevent a recurrence; but I believe a contributing factor is the current policy by upper management at ZDC to require 70% of staffing to be on position between 8:00 am. To 7:00 P.M. This combined with a reduction in controller staffing has increased time on position by 25% or more. Staffing sectors when not needed contributes to controller fatigue when they really are needed to staff position.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCES OPERROR WHEN ISSUING DSCNT CLRNC TO B737 THROUGH THE ALT OF ANOTHER ACFT.
Narrative: ALLOWING MYSELF TO BE DISTR BY LOWER PRIORITY DUTIES; MY SCAN BROKE DOWN AND I ISSUED A DSCNT CLRNC TO AN ARRIVING ACFT THROUGH THE ALT OF AN OVERFLT. I'M NOT SURE WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE OR COULD BE DONE TO PREVENT A RECURRENCE; BUT I BELIEVE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE CURRENT POLICY BY UPPER MGMNT AT ZDC TO REQUIRE 70% OF STAFFING TO BE ON POS BTWN 8:00 AM. TO 7:00 P.M. THIS COMBINED WITH A REDUCTION IN CTLR STAFFING HAS INCREASED TIME ON POS BY 25% OR MORE. STAFFING SECTORS WHEN NOT NEEDED CONTRIBUTES TO CTLR FATIGUE WHEN THEY REALLY ARE NEEDED TO STAFF 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.