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ZID controller experienced operational error at approximately FL280 when descending holding aircraft through occupied altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 709473 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200608 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0001 To 0600 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zid.artcc |
| State Reference | IN |
| Altitude | msl single value : 28700 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | Mixed |
| Light | Night |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B767 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zid.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A300 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : holding |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 5 controller non radar : 0.5 controller radar : 28.5 controller supervisory : 0.5 controller time certified in position1 : 24 |
| ASRS Report | 709473 |
| 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 aircraft equipment : tcas other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued alert controller : issued new clearance flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Our crew is usually 6 controllers. Because of approved leave; we started the shift with 5. About XA45 local; I began holding aircraft for sdf because of bad WX. I was offered a break about XB00 local; but turned the offer down. Because our fix is northwest of sdf; and it was anticipated the WX would clear from that direction first. Additional flts were routed to our fix. We held for about 4 hours; peeling flts off the bottom of our stack whenever WX at the field; or approach control's sequence would allow us. I was not offered any other breaks after XB00 local. At about XD40; I overlooked aircraft #2 holding at FL280; and instructed aircraft #1 to descend to FL250. Aircraft #1 began his descent; but leveled at FL287; and said he was responding to a TCAS alert and was climbing back to FL290. Aircraft #2 also advised of a TCAS alert and was told of aircraft #1 climbing action. I believe fatigue was a causative factor in my error.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZID CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT APPROX FL280 WHEN DSNDING HOLDING ACFT THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.
Narrative: OUR CREW IS USUALLY 6 CTLRS. BECAUSE OF APPROVED LEAVE; WE STARTED THE SHIFT WITH 5. ABOUT XA45 LCL; I BEGAN HOLDING ACFT FOR SDF BECAUSE OF BAD WX. I WAS OFFERED A BREAK ABOUT XB00 LCL; BUT TURNED THE OFFER DOWN. BECAUSE OUR FIX IS NW OF SDF; AND IT WAS ANTICIPATED THE WX WOULD CLR FROM THAT DIRECTION FIRST. ADDITIONAL FLTS WERE ROUTED TO OUR FIX. WE HELD FOR ABOUT 4 HRS; PEELING FLTS OFF THE BOTTOM OF OUR STACK WHENEVER WX AT THE FIELD; OR APCH CTL'S SEQUENCE WOULD ALLOW US. I WAS NOT OFFERED ANY OTHER BREAKS AFTER XB00 LCL. AT ABOUT XD40; I OVERLOOKED ACFT #2 HOLDING AT FL280; AND INSTRUCTED ACFT #1 TO DSND TO FL250. ACFT #1 BEGAN HIS DSCNT; BUT LEVELED AT FL287; AND SAID HE WAS RESPONDING TO A TCAS ALERT AND WAS CLBING BACK TO FL290. ACFT #2 ALSO ADVISED OF A TCAS ALERT AND WAS TOLD OF ACFT #1 CLBING ACTION. I BELIEVE FATIGUE WAS A CAUSATIVE FACTOR IN MY ERROR.
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.