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Approach controller vectoring 2 widebody transport aircraft at same altitude in IMC conditions, gave one an immediate descent and the other a climb. Potential conflict averted.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 88301 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198806 |
| Day | Wed |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jfk |
| State Reference | NY |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 3000 msl bound upper : 3000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | IMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : n90 |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 2 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other Other |
| Flight Phase | cruise other descent other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Widebody, Low Wing, 4 Turbojet Eng |
| Navigation In Use | Other |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude cruise other |
| Route In Use | enroute : on vectors |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 15000 flight time type : 80 |
| ASRS Report | 88310 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe |
| Independent Detector | atc equipment other atc equipment : unspecified other controllera |
| Resolutory Action | controller : issued new clearance other |
| Consequence | Other |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 18000 vertical : 0 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
Controller had descended us to 3000' and 170 KTS airspeed heading 070 degrees. Several changes in heading had been issued. Controller was working a number of aircraft. We were on a 90 degree intercept heading to runway 31R at jfk. Controller called us to descend immediately to 2000'. He then called foreign air carrier to climb to 4000'. We broke out to VMC and saw the foreign widebody transport at 1 O'clock moving to 12 O'clock, level at over a mile. Had the controller not caught his mistake by placing us both at 3000', it would have been very close to a midair. We had been listening to the controller talk to both of our aircraft and knew we were both at 3000', but did not know the position of the other aircraft and we were IMC.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: APCH CTLR VECTORING 2 WDB ACFT AT SAME ALT IN IMC CONDITIONS, GAVE ONE AN IMMEDIATE DESCENT AND THE OTHER A CLIMB. POTENTIAL CONFLICT AVERTED.
Narrative: CTLR HAD DSNDED US TO 3000' AND 170 KTS AIRSPD HDG 070 DEGS. SEVERAL CHANGES IN HDG HAD BEEN ISSUED. CTLR WAS WORKING A NUMBER OF ACFT. WE WERE ON A 90 DEG INTERCEPT HDG TO RWY 31R AT JFK. CTLR CALLED US TO DSND IMMEDIATELY TO 2000'. HE THEN CALLED FOREIGN ACR TO CLB TO 4000'. WE BROKE OUT TO VMC AND SAW THE FOREIGN WDB AT 1 O'CLOCK MOVING TO 12 O'CLOCK, LEVEL AT OVER A MILE. HAD THE CTLR NOT CAUGHT HIS MISTAKE BY PLACING US BOTH AT 3000', IT WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY CLOSE TO A MIDAIR. WE HAD BEEN LISTENING TO THE CTLR TALK TO BOTH OF OUR ACFT AND KNEW WE WERE BOTH AT 3000', BUT DID NOT KNOW THE POS OF THE OTHER ACFT AND WE WERE IMC.
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.