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ZBW associate controller witnessed operational error at FL270 when radar controller failed to take timely appropriate action to separate opposite direction traffic.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 706814 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200608 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : hto.vortac |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl single value : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | EMB ERJ 145 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | general aviation : personal |
| Make Model Name | Citation V |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 9 controller radar : 25 |
| ASRS Report | 706814 |
| 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 alert controller : issued new clearance |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 28800 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
C560 was outbound from long island going wbound. E145 was inbound to pvd airport. Their flight paths are opposite direction. I was the radar associate; having been on approximately 3 mins when separation was lost. The radar controller was vectoring C560 to the northwest. E145 was turned to the ese to avoid C560 and allow E145 to continue climbing. The hampton sector (R31) requires that controllers climb and descend inbounds and outbounds in an aggressive manner. This situation is not unusual. As a radar associate; I felt no need to intercede; the radar controller was aware of the traffic and initiated vectors as required. There is continuous pressure on R31 controllers to get traffic climbing and descending on conflicting rtes.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZBW ASSOCIATE CTLR WITNESSED OPERROR AT FL270 WHEN RADAR CTLR FAILED TO TAKE TIMELY APPROPRIATE ACTION TO SEPARATE OPPOSITE DIRECTION TFC.
Narrative: C560 WAS OUTBOUND FROM LONG ISLAND GOING WBOUND. E145 WAS INBOUND TO PVD ARPT. THEIR FLT PATHS ARE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. I WAS THE RADAR ASSOCIATE; HAVING BEEN ON APPROX 3 MINS WHEN SEPARATION WAS LOST. THE RADAR CTLR WAS VECTORING C560 TO THE NW. E145 WAS TURNED TO THE ESE TO AVOID C560 AND ALLOW E145 TO CONTINUE CLBING. THE HAMPTON SECTOR (R31) REQUIRES THAT CTLRS CLB AND DSND INBOUNDS AND OUTBOUNDS IN AN AGGRESSIVE MANNER. THIS SITUATION IS NOT UNUSUAL. AS A RADAR ASSOCIATE; I FELT NO NEED TO INTERCEDE; THE RADAR CTLR WAS AWARE OF THE TFC AND INITIATED VECTORS AS REQUIRED. THERE IS CONTINUOUS PRESSURE ON R31 CTLRS TO GET TFC CLBING AND DSNDING ON CONFLICTING RTES.
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.