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ZHU controller experienced operational error at FL180 when attempting to descend a hou area arrival through several departure aircraft; misjudging spacing needed.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 729047 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200702 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : iah.airport |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 18000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tower : vgt.tower |
| Operator | common carrier : air taxi |
| Make Model Name | Learjet 35 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 135 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Route In Use | arrival : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737-500 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 23 |
| ASRS Report | 729047 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air taxi |
| 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 : 25000 vertical : 600 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Houston approach requested aircraft X enter their airspace at 10000 ft. Aircraft X came on my frequency abeam huntsville; tx; descending to FL240. I issued aircraft X a descent rate of at least 3000 FPM. Aircraft Z was a houston departure climbing to one five thousand slightly east of aircraft X and was given a 20 degree turn to stay clear of aircraft X. Aircraft Y was a houston departure climbing to one five thousand slightly west of aircraft X and was assigned a climb rate of at least two thousand five hundred FPM. It became clear that more vectors would be necessary. I turned aircraft Y 20 degrees left and as soon as he was clear of aircraft Z; aircraft X was turned 20 degrees to the left. I attempted to obtain altitude reports from both aircraft as they descended; but was unable to do so in a timely manner.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZHU CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL180 WHEN ATTEMPTING TO DESCEND A HOU AREA ARR THROUGH SEVERAL DEP ACFT; MISJUDGING SPACING NEEDED.
Narrative: HOUSTON APCH REQUESTED ACFT X ENTER THEIR AIRSPACE AT 10000 FT. ACFT X CAME ON MY FREQ ABEAM HUNTSVILLE; TX; DSNDING TO FL240. I ISSUED ACFT X A DSCNT RATE OF AT LEAST 3000 FPM. ACFT Z WAS A HOUSTON DEP CLBING TO ONE FIVE THOUSAND SLIGHTLY E OF ACFT X AND WAS GIVEN A 20 DEG TURN TO STAY CLR OF ACFT X. ACFT Y WAS A HOUSTON DEP CLBING TO ONE FIVE THOUSAND SLIGHTLY W OF ACFT X AND WAS ASSIGNED A CLB RATE OF AT LEAST TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED FPM. IT BECAME CLR THAT MORE VECTORS WOULD BE NECESSARY. I TURNED ACFT Y 20 DEGS L AND AS SOON AS HE WAS CLR OF ACFT Z; ACFT X WAS TURNED 20 DEGS TO THE L. I ATTEMPTED TO OBTAIN ALT RPTS FROM BOTH ACFT AS THEY DSNDED; BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO IN A TIMELY MANNER.
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.