 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
ZHU controller expressed concern regarding UHF radio receiver failure when working several military aircraft.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 734589 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200704 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : cot.vortac |
| State Reference | TX |
| Altitude | msl single value : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zhu.artcc tower : bjc.tower |
| Operator | other |
| Make Model Name | Military |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 91 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 8 controller non radar : 3 controller radar : 9 controller supervisory : 5 controller time certified in position1 : 1 controller time certified in position2 : 3 flight time total : 7 |
| ASRS Report | 734589 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | FAA Maintenance Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | FAA |
| Situations | |
| ATC Facility | communication equipment : zhu.artcc |
Narrative:
Had approximately 5-6 T45 aircraft en route navy kingsville to laughlin AFB. Aircraft climbed to FL240. In vicinity cot VORTAC; I needed to descend these aircraft to FL140. Upon issuing descent; I could not get an altitude readback due to an ongoing UHF frequency receive problem in this location. This presents a dangerous situation requiring the controller to ask the pilot to 'identify' to acknowledge receipt of the altitude clearance. This is unsatisfactory because you don't know if the pilot is descending to the altitude you issued -- the pilot could have bumped the 'identify' button; they could have heard you; but heard a different altitude; etc. Without verbal altitude readback for the controller; positive separation is not maintained and this increases the controller's workload to dangerous levels.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZHU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING UHF RADIO RECEIVER FAILURE WHEN WORKING SEVERAL MIL ACFT.
Narrative: HAD APPROX 5-6 T45 ACFT ENRTE NAVY KINGSVILLE TO LAUGHLIN AFB. ACFT CLBED TO FL240. IN VICINITY COT VORTAC; I NEEDED TO DSND THESE ACFT TO FL140. UPON ISSUING DSCNT; I COULD NOT GET AN ALT READBACK DUE TO AN ONGOING UHF FREQ RECEIVE PROB IN THIS LOCATION. THIS PRESENTS A DANGEROUS SITUATION REQUIRING THE CTLR TO ASK THE PLT TO 'IDENT' TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF THE ALT CLRNC. THIS IS UNSATISFACTORY BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW IF THE PLT IS DSNDING TO THE ALT YOU ISSUED -- THE PLT COULD HAVE BUMPED THE 'IDENT' BUTTON; THEY COULD HAVE HEARD YOU; BUT HEARD A DIFFERENT ALT; ETC. WITHOUT VERBAL ALT READBACK FOR THE CTLR; POSITIVE SEPARATION IS NOT MAINTAINED AND THIS INCREASES THE CTLR'S WORKLOAD TO DANGEROUS LEVELS.
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.