 |
37000 Feet | Browse and search NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System |
|
Operational error. Less than standard separation between air carrier-light transport and air carrier-small transport.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 99577 |
| Time | |
| Date | 198812 |
| Day | Fri |
| Local Time Of Day | 1201 To 1800 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : phl |
| State Reference | PA |
| Altitude | msl bound lower : 6700 msl bound upper : 7000 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Dusk |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Controlling Facilities | tracon : phl |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, High Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | climbout : intermediate altitude |
| Route In Use | departure other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Small Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | cruise other |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : cfi pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 270 flight time total : 3600 flight time type : 1800 |
| ASRS Report | 99577 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : commercial pilot : instrument |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | conflict : airborne less severe non adherence : required legal separation non adherence : far |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : insufficient time |
| Consequence | faa : reviewed incident with flight crew |
| Miss Distance | horizontal : 6000 vertical : 300 |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | ATC Human Performance |
| Air Traffic Incident | Operational Error |
Narrative:
We requested and received 7000'. While climbing through 6700' we observed an small transport crossing right to left through our 12 O'clock position which appeared to be at 7000'. My first officer called phl approach to advise them of the traffic. The controller apologized for not calling the traffic out sooner but said she 'couldn't get a word in edgewise.' she confirmed that the tc was at 7000'. I recall periods of silence where the controller had more than an opportunity to call the traffic out to us. Both the traffic we observed, as well as our aircraft, were in the TCA. The question I have is what kind of sep was this controller using?! My own impression was that the controller didn't see the conflict, and if she can't see traffic then I don't think she should be working traffic. If she was overworked then maybe she should be asking for help.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: OPERATIONAL ERROR. LESS THAN STANDARD SEPARATION BETWEEN ACR-LTT AND ACR-SMT.
Narrative: WE REQUESTED AND RECEIVED 7000'. WHILE CLBING THROUGH 6700' WE OBSERVED AN SMT XING RIGHT TO LEFT THROUGH OUR 12 O'CLOCK POS WHICH APPEARED TO BE AT 7000'. MY F/O CALLED PHL APCH TO ADVISE THEM OF THE TFC. THE CTLR APOLOGIZED FOR NOT CALLING THE TFC OUT SOONER BUT SAID SHE 'COULDN'T GET A WORD IN EDGEWISE.' SHE CONFIRMED THAT THE TC WAS AT 7000'. I RECALL PERIODS OF SILENCE WHERE THE CTLR HAD MORE THAN AN OPPORTUNITY TO CALL THE TFC OUT TO US. BOTH THE TFC WE OBSERVED, AS WELL AS OUR ACFT, WERE IN THE TCA. THE QUESTION I HAVE IS WHAT KIND OF SEP WAS THIS CTLR USING?! MY OWN IMPRESSION WAS THAT THE CTLR DIDN'T SEE THE CONFLICT, AND IF SHE CAN'T SEE TFC THEN I DON'T THINK SHE SHOULD BE WORKING TFC. IF SHE WAS OVERWORKED THEN MAYBE SHE SHOULD BE ASKING FOR HELP.
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.