Supervisor working combined position operation descended the wrong aircraft and had less than standa...

Attributes
ACN	84479
Time
Date	198803
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : ccc
State Reference	NY
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4800 msl bound upper : 5600
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Route In Use	enroute airway : n90
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Small Aircraft, Low Wing, 1 Eng, Retractable Gear
Flight Phase	cruise other descent other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach oversight : supervisor
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	84479
Person 2
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance other
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 3000 vertical : 800
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Small transport X at 5000', small aircraft Y at 6000'. Descended the small aircraft Y instead of the small transport X to 4000'. It came to my attention when the C/a sounded off. I immediately descended small transport X to 4000' and stopped small aircraft Y at 5000'. I attempted to apply visual sep to both aircraft, but accomplished this after the fact of lack of sep (800' + 1/2 mi). There were no contributing factors except for myself, human error, I was hasty when I wanted the small transport X to descend, instead descended the wrong one. I was also busy working 2 positions combined with 9 aircraft. There is no set rule from preventing this happening again. But, I've learned to review my strips more and to think more about what I'm saying before actually saying it. This situation has helped me build my awareness. You learn by your mistakes, really holds true and I am grateful that it wasn't more serious.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: SUPVR WORKING COMBINED POSITION OPERATION DESCENDED THE WRONG ACFT AND HAD LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION.

Narrative: SMT X AT 5000', SMA Y AT 6000'. DSNDED THE SMA Y INSTEAD OF THE SMT X TO 4000'. IT CAME TO MY ATTN WHEN THE C/A SOUNDED OFF. I IMMEDIATELY DSNDED SMT X TO 4000' AND STOPPED SMA Y AT 5000'. I ATTEMPTED TO APPLY VISUAL SEP TO BOTH ACFT, BUT ACCOMPLISHED THIS AFTER THE FACT OF LACK OF SEP (800' + 1/2 MI). THERE WERE NO CONTRIBUTING FACTORS EXCEPT FOR MYSELF, HUMAN ERROR, I WAS HASTY WHEN I WANTED THE SMT X TO DSND, INSTEAD DSNDED THE WRONG ONE. I WAS ALSO BUSY WORKING 2 POSITIONS COMBINED WITH 9 ACFT. THERE IS NO SET RULE FROM PREVENTING THIS HAPPENING AGAIN. BUT, I'VE LEARNED TO REVIEW MY STRIPS MORE AND TO THINK MORE ABOUT WHAT I'M SAYING BEFORE ACTUALLY SAYING IT. THIS SITUATION HAS HELPED ME BUILD MY AWARENESS. YOU LEARN BY YOUR MISTAKES, REALLY HOLDS TRUE AND I AM GRATEFUL THAT IT WASN'T MORE SERIOUS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of August 2007 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.

Supervisor working combined position operation descended the wrong aircraft and had less than standard separation.