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ZTL controller experienced operational error when incorrect data block information was entered and traffic was issued climb through occupied altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 729931 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200702 |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : elw.vortac |
| State Reference | SC |
| Altitude | msl single value : 27000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Regional Jet 200 ER&LR |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : ztl.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B737 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | climbout : initial |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar controller : non radar |
| Experience | controller limited radar : 23 controller non radar : 23 controller radar : 23 controller time certified in position1 : 16 |
| ASRS Report | 729931 |
| 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 new clearance controller : issued alert flight crew : took evasive action |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 24000 vertical : 700 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Aircraft #1 issued climb clearance from atl J14 to FL270. Aircraft #2 issued climb clearance from clt J14 to FL250. 15 seconds after aircraft #1 was issued climb clearance to FL270; radar associate entered FL250 in the data block. Due to complexity of the sector; with approximately 20 aircraft on frequency including holding for clt arrs. Radar position did not notice the data block change of aircraft #1 and subsequently issued FL260 to aircraft #2 for separation. It was not realized aircraft #1 was climbing to FL270 until asked to verify assigned altitude. Aircraft #1 and aircraft #2 were both turned to try to achieve separation. It is a dangerous; but common; occurrence for atl departures and clt departure to file; and fly; opposing courses on a regular basis. This should be changed. Without flight progress strips in the ctrs now; the only way to note assigned altitudes of aircraft is with the data block.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZTL CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR WHEN INCORRECT DATA BLOCK INFO WAS ENTERED AND TRAFFIC WAS ISSUED CLIMB THROUGH OCCUPIED ALT.
Narrative: ACFT #1 ISSUED CLB CLRNC FROM ATL J14 TO FL270. ACFT #2 ISSUED CLB CLRNC FROM CLT J14 TO FL250. 15 SECONDS AFTER ACFT #1 WAS ISSUED CLB CLRNC TO FL270; RADAR ASSOCIATE ENTERED FL250 IN THE DATA BLOCK. DUE TO COMPLEXITY OF THE SECTOR; WITH APPROX 20 ACFT ON FREQ INCLUDING HOLDING FOR CLT ARRS. RADAR POS DID NOT NOTICE THE DATA BLOCK CHANGE OF ACFT #1 AND SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED FL260 TO ACFT #2 FOR SEPARATION. IT WAS NOT REALIZED ACFT #1 WAS CLBING TO FL270 UNTIL ASKED TO VERIFY ASSIGNED ALT. ACFT #1 AND ACFT #2 WERE BOTH TURNED TO TRY TO ACHIEVE SEPARATION. IT IS A DANGEROUS; BUT COMMON; OCCURRENCE FOR ATL DEPS AND CLT DEP TO FILE; AND FLY; OPPOSING COURSES ON A REGULAR BASIS. THIS SHOULD BE CHANGED. WITHOUT FLT PROGRESS STRIPS IN THE CTRS NOW; THE ONLY WAY TO NOTE ASSIGNED ALTS OF ACFT IS WITH THE DATA BLOCK.
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.