Controller allowed less than standard separation between 2 small transport's while distracted by lack of communication with 2 of the aircraft and his need to coordinate with an adjacent facility.

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Attributes
ACN	85821
Time
Date	198804
Day	Fri
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	atc facility : phl
State Reference	PA
Altitude	msl bound lower : 4500 msl bound upper : 5000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : phl
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	climbout : intermediate altitude other
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Make Model Name	Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Recip Eng
Flight Phase	cruise other
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Qualification	controller : radar
ASRS Report	85821
Person 2
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : instrument
Events
Anomaly	conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation
Independent Detector	other controllera
Resolutory Action	controller : issued new clearance none taken : insufficient time
Consequence	Other
Miss Distance	horizontal : 12000 vertical : 500
Supplementary
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance
Air Traffic Incident	Operational Error

Narrative:

Small transport X cleared to ing rbn 2000' with holding, assigned wrong frequency. When communications made, this aircraft was on swbnd heading and climbed to 5000'. Second aircraft east of small transport X position was northbound at 5000'. A third aircraft was handed off to me by abe approach control at 4000' and no communications were transferred to me by abe approach control. While trying to reach abe on landline, small transport X turned northeast bound since vector was not issued to aircraft to remain swbnd. Observed aircraft leaving 4300' still 3 mi from second aircraft. Turned and descended aircraft to 4000' with no reply from small transport X. 10 seconds later turned and descended aircraft again--no response. 5 seconds later transmitted to small transport X again and pilot answered with a question wanting to know why he was on the wrong frequency the first time. The aircraft was finally turned and descended. I was working 8 airplanes at the time with 2 holding out so position's could be combined. How to prevent the occurrence: stop combining position's, staff properly and stop supervisors from evaluating controllers on how much they can work.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: CTLR ALLOWED LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN 2 SMT'S WHILE DISTRACTED BY LACK OF COM WITH 2 OF THE ACFT AND HIS NEED TO COORDINATE WITH AN ADJACENT FAC.

Narrative: SMT X CLRED TO ING RBN 2000' WITH HOLDING, ASSIGNED WRONG FREQ. WHEN COMS MADE, THIS ACFT WAS ON SWBND HDG AND CLBED TO 5000'. SECOND ACFT E OF SMT X POS WAS NBOUND AT 5000'. A THIRD ACFT WAS HANDED OFF TO ME BY ABE APCH CTL AT 4000' AND NO COMS WERE TRANSFERRED TO ME BY ABE APCH CTL. WHILE TRYING TO REACH ABE ON LANDLINE, SMT X TURNED NE BOUND SINCE VECTOR WAS NOT ISSUED TO ACFT TO REMAIN SWBND. OBSERVED ACFT LEAVING 4300' STILL 3 MI FROM SECOND ACFT. TURNED AND DSNDED ACFT TO 4000' WITH NO REPLY FROM SMT X. 10 SECS LATER TURNED AND DSNDED ACFT AGAIN--NO RESPONSE. 5 SECS LATER XMITTED TO SMT X AGAIN AND PLT ANSWERED WITH A QUESTION WANTING TO KNOW WHY HE WAS ON THE WRONG FREQ THE FIRST TIME. THE ACFT WAS FINALLY TURNED AND DSNDED. I WAS WORKING 8 AIRPLANES AT THE TIME WITH 2 HOLDING OUT SO POS'S COULD BE COMBINED. HOW TO PREVENT THE OCCURRENCE: STOP COMBINING POS'S, STAFF PROPERLY AND STOP SUPVRS FROM EVALUATING CTLRS ON HOW MUCH THEY CAN WORK.

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.