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ZBW controller experienced operational error at FL210 when distracted by a number of factors including WX; traffic volume and a slow descent.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 758606 |
| Time | |
| Date | 200710 |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | atc facility : zbw.artcc |
| State Reference | NH |
| Altitude | msl single value : 21000 |
| Environment | |
| Weather Elements | Thunderstorm |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | A319 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Controlling Facilities | artcc : zbw.artcc |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | B757-200 |
| Operating Under FAR Part | Part 121 |
| Flight Phase | descent : approach |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | government : faa |
| Function | controller : radar |
| Qualification | controller : radar |
| Experience | controller military : 4 controller radar : 24 controller time certified in position1 : 14 |
| ASRS Report | 758606 |
| 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 : 27000 vertical : 900 |
| Supplementary | |
| Problem Areas | Weather ATC Human Performance Environmental Factor |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
Aircraft Y deviating through a break in a line of thunderstorms at FL210. Aircraft X eastbound at FL210 on a separate arrival route. As I was about to descend aircraft Y (B757) a fly flew into my eye. I got distraction. By the time I descended him and he started down; he got within 5 mi of aircraft X (A319). WX; distrs; slow descent by aircraft Y (delayed descent 40 seconds until told to expedite); all contributed to this error. Also; a lack of strategic planning by traffic management put 2 aircraft on parallel rtes at same altitude towards thunderstorms. Also; receiving sector holding stack was full and he advised his supervisor who sat on the information. The result -- a no-notice hold put on my sector; which greatly added to the sector complexity.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: ZBW CTLR EXPERIENCED OPERROR AT FL210 WHEN DISTRACTED BY A NUMBER OF FACTORS INCLUDING WX; TFC VOLUME AND A SLOW DESCENT.
Narrative: ACFT Y DEVIATING THROUGH A BREAK IN A LINE OF TSTMS AT FL210. ACFT X EBOUND AT FL210 ON A SEPARATE ARR RTE. AS I WAS ABOUT TO DSND ACFT Y (B757) A FLY FLEW INTO MY EYE. I GOT DISTR. BY THE TIME I DSNDED HIM AND HE STARTED DOWN; HE GOT WITHIN 5 MI OF ACFT X (A319). WX; DISTRS; SLOW DSCNT BY ACFT Y (DELAYED DSCNT 40 SECONDS UNTIL TOLD TO EXPEDITE); ALL CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ERROR. ALSO; A LACK OF STRATEGIC PLANNING BY TFC MGMNT PUT 2 ACFT ON PARALLEL RTES AT SAME ALT TOWARDS TSTMS. ALSO; RECEIVING SECTOR HOLDING STACK WAS FULL AND HE ADVISED HIS SUPVR WHO SAT ON THE INFO. THE RESULT -- A NO-NOTICE HOLD PUT ON MY SECTOR; WHICH GREATLY ADDED TO THE SECTOR COMPLEXITY.
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.