 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ZFW controller experienced operational error at approximately FL360 when trying to accommodate several requests for altitude changes and WX deviations.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 701026 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200606 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zfw.artcc |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 35000 msl bound upper : 37000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Turbulence Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | cruise : level |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zfw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : vacating altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 15 controller time certified in position1 : 12 |
| ASRS Report | 701026 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
WX deviation and traffic volume made the sector extremely complex. Data block overlap also added to workload and hindered traffic search. Aircraft Z at FL340 requested FL360 but was unable for traffic. His traffic aircraft Y at FL360; then requested descent to FL340. A perfect solution; aircraft were then climbed/descended. Traffic for aircraft Y was aircraft X at FL350 deviating for WX. Aircraft X asked for direct kirksville (irk) and it was issued. Aircraft X said he was delaying the turn for aircraft descending (aircraft Y). Aircraft Y was issued maintain FL360. Separation was lost. Conflict alert activated. Aircraft X advised he had received an RA.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZFW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX FL360 WHEN TRYING TO ACCOMMODATE SEVERAL REQUESTS FOR ALT CHANGES AND WX DEVS.
Narrative: WX DEV AND TFC VOLUME MADE THE SECTOR EXTREMELY COMPLEX. DATA BLOCK OVERLAP ALSO ADDED TO WORKLOAD AND HINDERED TFC SEARCH. ACFT Z AT FL340 REQUESTED FL360 BUT WAS UNABLE FOR TFC. HIS TFC ACFT Y AT FL360; THEN REQUESTED DSCNT TO FL340. A PERFECT SOLUTION; ACFT WERE THEN CLBED/DSNDED. TFC FOR ACFT Y WAS ACFT X AT FL350 DEVIATING FOR WX. ACFT X ASKED FOR DIRECT KIRKSVILLE (IRK) AND IT WAS ISSUED. ACFT X SAID HE WAS DELAYING THE TURN FOR ACFT DSNDING (ACFT Y). ACFT Y WAS ISSUED MAINTAIN FL360. SEPARATION WAS LOST. CONFLICT ALERT ACTIVATED. ACFT X ADVISED HE HAD RECEIVED AN RA.
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.