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ZDC controller experienced operational error at FL240 when descending wrong aircraft to occupied altitude.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 744214 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200706 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | navaid : esl.vortac |
| State Reference | WV |
| Altitude | msl single value : 24000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A320 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zdc.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | DC-9 Undifferentiated or Other Model |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : intermediate altitude |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller radar : 24 |
| ASRS Report | 744214 |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne critical non adherence : required legal separation |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment : conflict alert other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance controller : issued alert |
| Consequence | faa : investigated |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 9000 vertical : 200 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | ATC Human Performance |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Sector was busy during an arrival push for dca/bwi and iad. Working to solve an inverted stack problem given to me by ZOB in the eastern portion of the sector. I scanned the western part of my sector and began to descend an aircraft for arrival into iad. There were 2 aircraft co-located with the same company name. I inadvertently descended the wrong aircraft. Contributing factors: 1) both aircraft were same company. 2) targets were merged; with altitude separation. 3) traffic complexity. 4) volume of aircraft in the sector.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZDC CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL240 WHEN DESCENDING WRONG ACFT TO OCCUPIED ALT.
Narrative: SECTOR WAS BUSY DURING AN ARR PUSH FOR DCA/BWI AND IAD. WORKING TO SOLVE AN INVERTED STACK PROB GIVEN TO ME BY ZOB IN THE EASTERN PORTION OF THE SECTOR. I SCANNED THE WESTERN PART OF MY SECTOR AND BEGAN TO DSND AN ACFT FOR ARR INTO IAD. THERE WERE 2 ACFT CO-LOCATED WITH THE SAME COMPANY NAME. I INADVERTENTLY DSNDED THE WRONG ACFT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: 1) BOTH ACFT WERE SAME COMPANY. 2) TARGETS WERE MERGED; WITH ALT SEPARATION. 3) TFC COMPLEXITY. 4) VOLUME OF ACFT IN THE SECTOR.
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.